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# Reed Park work to begin this summer
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/reed-park-work-to-begin-this-summer/
- Published: 2008-01-23T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T18:06:43.000Z
- Author: Melody Hanatani
- Tags: Sports, Downtown, #archive-import, Homeless

*Park project will include an expanded playground*

DOWNTOWN There are a number of reasons why Harry Hirschorn makes the drive to Douglas Park even though he lives near Christine Reed Park.

The Santa Monica resident enjoyed the temporary reprieve from the storm on Tuesday afternoon, watching as his young son shot a basketball around on the court. It was the first time he brought his son to Reed Park, avoiding the public open space on the 700 block of Lincoln Boulevard because of the presence of homeless people lounging on the grounds and what he considers to be an unfriendly child atmosphere — curse words often flying around during pick-up basketball games while there are children playing nearby in the playground.

But his perspective could change after the Commnity and Cultural Services Department at City Hall are done with a $550,000 project that includes a series of landscape improvements at the park as well as an expansion of the playground.

“I definitely would consider coming if they improve the park,” Hirschorn said. “It would entice me.”

City staff are currently still in the design development phase of the park improvement project, tweaking the plans for the extension of the playground into the current horseshoe pit, a portion of the park that is considered to be under-used.

The project also includes a possible outdoor reception area in a space between the Miles Playhouse and the tennis courts.

“We’re trying to create a more pleasant area between those two places,” said Karen Ginsberg, the assistant director of Community and Cultural Services.

The project will also improve the park’s water usage by adding drought-tolerant plants. New signage is also slated for Wilshire Boulevard side of the park and possibly on California Avenue as well.

The 5.3-acre park, which features a community center, six lighted tennis courts, a playground and two basketball courts, first opened in 1892 as Lincoln Park, later renamed Christine Reed Park. Ginsberg estimates that construction would most likely not begin until the summer and that it could take up to six months to complete the entire project.

The improvements are part of the Santa Monica Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which addressed the issue of frontage improvements to the park as well as improving and adding playgrounds throughout the city.

“Playgrounds are always something desired in the community and taking advantage of underutilized space is something that is in the master plan as well,” Ginsberg said.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 23, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/012308.pdf?ref=smdp.com)