Anaheim officials are constructing a new 3-acre park, dubbed River Park, situated behind Angel Stadium along the Santa Ana River. This project is part of a broader city initiative to convert a significant corridor along the river into accessible open space, years after Orange County officials addressed homeless encampments in the area.
Expected to open next summer, River Park will become the 69th park in Anaheim. Its design plans incorporate elements that reflect the region's native ancestry and will feature a playground, an exercise zone, a sundial, and various picnic seating areas. The park will also include informational panels about native wildlife, an interactive canoe display, and a poem stretching across its length.
One notable aspect of the park's development is the absence of dedicated parking. City staff have indicated there were obstacles to building parking for the space, though specific details were not provided. Instead, the city is relying on future development at Angel Stadium to provide necessary parking, despite officials having consistently denied long-term discussions about the publicly owned property.
Public Works Director Rudy Emami addressed this during a city council meeting, stating that parking solutions are anticipated to emerge from future discussions with the Angels and the eventual development of the stadium site. Emami emphasized that bringing the park to fruition first serves to enhance and influence any future development planned for the property, encouraging its incorporation and facing toward the park.
Emami's remarks were made just a week prior to the significant announcement from Angels Owner Arte Moreno about his intention to sell the team to the owner of the Los Angeles Rams professional football team. This development follows years after a city hall corruption scandal led to the collapse of a previous deal to sell Angel Stadium to Moreno.
Construction of River Park will be entirely funded through environmental grants, with officials allocating nearly $5.5 million towards the park in their current budget. Last month, city council members unanimously approved a contract worth approximately $4.5 million to a Palm Desert-based landscape contractor for the park's construction.
River Park is set to initiate the implementation of the broader OC River Walk Project, an extensive revamp of the riverbed corridor stretching from Angel Stadium past the Honda Center to the Anaheim Coves. This larger project, with a projected budget of $200 million, aims to transform the river into recreational open space, complete with a new trail, pedestrian and bicycle bridges, and inflatable dams.
Developments around Angel Stadium are not limited to River Park. Across the freeway, the Samueli family is developing OC Vibe, a new mixed-use entertainment district around the Honda Center, which will feature restaurants, hotels, parks, and a concert hall.
Despite the recent announcement of the Angels' sale, Anaheim officials have maintained that there are no long-term discussions currently underway regarding another Angel Stadium land sale, referencing the aftermath of the previous corruption scandal. This is even as a private meeting between city officials, real estate consultants, and Angels executives is slated for 2025 to discuss the surplus land act.
Following the news of the Angels' sale this month, Mayor Ashleigh Aitken commented that it was premature to discuss any future development. However, she also expressed hope that the new owner would collaborate with the city on an innovative development plan for the stadium. Mayor Aitken mentioned potential benefits for residents, including youth sports fields, housing, and possible hotel development, aiming to create a vibrant place.
