Bolivar
Bolívar Park is one of three Lakewood parks—all dedicated on the same day in 1957— each named for a leader in the long effort to free Central and South America from domination by the empire of Spain. Bolívar Park was named for Simón Bolívar, the best known of these liberators. By 1825, he had led armies that freed what are now the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Perú, Panama and Bolivia.
The park’s baseball diamonds are home to boys’ and girls’ park teams, still coached as they were in 1957 by parent volunteers, some of them the second and third generation of coaches. A Tot Lot playground offers safe fun for toddlers, while a school-age play area has climbing structures, slides, swings and even a zip line. The pool at Bolívar Park was named in honor of champion diver Pat McCormick—then a Lakewood resident—who was twice a multiple winner of Olympic gold medals.
With 10 major parks and many playgrounds, ball diamonds, and game courts, every Lakewood neighborhood has a rich heritage of recreational opportunities and unique memories of giant robots, rocket ships to the stars, and Cinderella’s magic pumpkin. Picnic shelters make Lakewood parks an inviting place for a birthday celebration or a family outing.
Lakewood has been honored many times for the excellence of its recreation programs. Lakewood was named California’s only Sportstown by Sports Illustrated magazine in 2004 and a Playful City USA by the National Campaign for Play in 2010.
The neighborhood around Bolívar Park was known as the Lakewood Mutuals when the homes were built in 1951. Buyers joined a building cooperative that financed construction during Korean War-era credit restrictions. Not far from Bolívar Park are the county-operated Lakewood Country Club golf course and the Lakewood Tennis Center.
Scenes on the wrap
Lakewood’s parks are famous for their decades-long support of sports leagues for boys and girls sponsored by the city’s Recreation and Community Services Department and coached by parent volunteers. Lakewood Youth Sports began in 1957 when hundreds of parents stepped up to volunteer.
Among the many awards earned by the city’ recreation programs, Lakewood was named California’s only Sportstown by Sports Illustrated magazine in 2004 and a Playful City USA by the National Campaign for Play in 2010.
Lakewood parks have plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities with game courts, playground equipment, and picnic shelters. The city’s major parks are supervised by city staff members. Most parks have a community assembly room available for rental.
Lakewood parks have opportunities for organized sports, not just for youngsters but for the whole family. Everyone has fun at a Lakewood park. See the current Recreation catalog.