History Columbia Park, Torrance, California

1 history

1.1 phase one

1.1.1 sculptures
1.1.2 women s soccer


1.2 redesign - walks , trails
1.3 phase 2 - southwest
1.4 phase three

history

columbia park conceived in 1970 , built in 1983. in 1985, park s designer, paul saito, received achievement award design , installation of columbia park.

phase one

columbia park first conceived former torrance city manager edward j. ferraro. in 1970, ferraro acquired 50 acres (20 ha) of u.s. navy surplus property $250,000 build torrance s wilson park. @ same time, ferraro put plan acquire approximately 50 acres (200,000 m) of land in north torrance build columbia regional park . december 1973, torrance city council took step closer acquiring land both columbia park , madrona marsh preserve, protecting last vernal marsh , wetlands remaining in south bay area of los angeles. in 1975 state of california agreed provide funds development of columbia park.

the park, located adjacent exxonmobil oil refinery, includes 494-foot (151 m) radio antenna services los angeles all-news radio station knx (am). there 120-foot (37 m)-high electrical line towers, each of supports 220,000-volt electrical lines maintained electricity supply company southern california edison.

columbia park opened in 1983 52-acre (21 ha) torrance recreational regional park large grassy expanses.

fujimihara , sculpture artist roger berry in southwestern columbia park


sculptures

in 1983 standard brands paint company in torrance donated sculpture public works artist roger berry park. sculpture, entitled fujimihara , presently resides in southwest corner of columbia park.

women s soccer

in late 1980s, columbia park became home field manhattan beach club women s soccer team ajax america women. on sundays @ columbia park, ajax , other women s teams played many 16 games on 4 fields september april. u.s. woman s soccer standouts, defender joy biefeld-fawcett , forward carin jennings, members of ajax america women , regularly practiced , played @ columbia park s soccer fields. these 2 columbia park players go on in 1991 ajax win u.s. women s amateur championship, , u.s. national team win first fifa women s world cup in china same year. u.s. woman s soccer standouts, defender joy biefeld-fawcett , forward carin jennings, routinely practiced , played in soccer fields @ columbia park in late 1980s , 1990s.

redesign - walks , trails

when columbia park first designed , planned, design supported soccer , other field sports, didn t serve needs of walkers , joggers, present day walkways , trails not part of original park. in 1984 landscape designer paul saito returned, redesign columbia park include walking paths , running trails, adding exercise challenges , aesthetic enjoyment. after receiving of san diego, california, saito had park laid out according plan, enjoyable concrete pathways winding around hilly landscape. park has, sponsorship hydro-scape products inc., around 100 distinct automated , water conserving sprinkler stations-zones irrigate 52 acres (21 ha). california landscape contractors association awarded paul saito 1985 achievement award, creativity in completed project.

phase 2 - southwest

to enlarge columbia park, in 1985 city council awarded terra-cal construction $173,655 contract construction of southwest portion of park, expanding public access , amenities, , community green-space.

phase three

in 2000, plans made increase number of parking spaces serving park users. in addition, plans included attractive gazebos, located near 190th street park area.

in 2004, columbia park parking lot @ southwest corner of 190th street , prairie avenue used chevrolet filming location television commercial.