A fabulous, sports-field-filled 42-acre green oasis smack in the heart of Irvine, Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park offers hikers and bikers quick access to several regional trails, including the San Diego Creek Trail and the Mountains to Sea Trail. It’s well worth staying to experience the wonderful features of the park itself.
On weekends, the air is loud with happy shrieks, the thwack of tennis balls and softballs and the whistles of referees. It’s where the community comes to play – and to connect with like-minded Irvine families.
Several of the numerous sports fields are available to reserve by private parties, as well as the amphitheater, picnic areas and formal and informal gardens.
Connectivity to some of my favorite urban trails aside, I cannot wait to take Gwynn, my nearly 7-year-old granddaughter, here the next time she visits from New York City. Talk about a child’s dream playground! Gwynn is mad about monkey bars, loves long, winding concrete paths on which to ride her bike and will be thrilled with the expansive, grassy spaces where she can launch foam planes, fly a kite or just run around in giddy circles.
Many parks offer one or maybe two of those playground features, so to find all of Gwynn’s favorites in one place is beyond wonderful. This park has it all. The varied swings, slides and climbing frames are located amid elevated, intersecting walkways that must seem endless to youngsters. Beach sand provides great amusement for tiny operators of toy trucks and a soft landing for adventurous climbers.
Baby and toddler swings are located separately, a boon to parents who worry about overenthusiastic older kids bumping into little ones still unsteady on their feet. I sat on one of the shaded benches near the formal garden, which was bursting with brilliant bougainvillea, and pulled out a pen and pad to make notes about potential picnic items. The park is close to restaurants, takeout places and grocery stores, so – given my limited culinary skills – I might fill a picnic basket with Gwynn’s beloved chicken nuggets, bananas and fruit yogurt.
There are numerous gazebos with tables and benches, though a traditional blanket on the grass is also a great option for picnics. Tall loblolly pines greet you as you enter the park, and plentiful coast live oaks provide shade and beauty. Along with rock and water features, the trees offer great backgrounds for weddings, quinceañeras and graduation photo shoots.
The frog fountain attracted a painterly mallard duck the day I visited. He floated about tranquilly, clearly as impressed as I was with the peace and quiet that spring Friday. The park is a delightful place to relax no matter your age. Benches offer plenty of places for quiet meditation or reading. Dogs are welcome.
The park is named after Col. Bill Barber, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War and lived in Irvine until he passed away. The city established the Wall of Recognition at the park in 2006 to honor individuals, groups, organizations and businesses that have made significant contributions to the community. Take a look at more than 400 names to see who you know.
If you haven’t reached your 10,000-step goal chasing an energetic child around, or you’re not up for a strenuous hike, consider other nearby walking paths, including the Woodbridge Trail (1.7 miles, easy) and the San Joaquin Marsh trails, where opportunities to encounter a range of bird and animal life abound.
You’re in Irvine, the city known for its abundance of parks.
Community to honor military heroes
On Memorial Day, the city of Irvine will host a ceremony at Col. Bill Barber Memorial Park honoring members of the military who lost their lives in service.
“The Memorial Day Ceremony is a significant event in the city of Irvine, as our community and military members, both veteran and active duty, join together to honor and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during their military service to our country,” says Tina Anderson, president of the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee.
Similar to the events of previous years, the committee will have a table and blank cards for the public to write notes to active-duty 2/11 Marines and sailors. Children can draw pictures on their cards using crayons and stickers.
“Honoring our fallen heroes on such a solemn day of remembrance binds our community together and sheds a light on the sacrifices made by our fellow Americans,” Anderson says.
When: 10 a.m. May 25
Where: Formal garden at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park
More information: cityofirvine.org or 949‑724‑6606
