|
Gibbs Park in Summerlane was once Meadowlark Airport.
Connecting to Gibbs Butterfly
Park, it provides a place to romp in fields and on
the playground equipment, hold a family picnic or go for
an afternoon stroll. Gibbs
Park
Gibbs Park is located in Summerlane residential
community in Huntington Beach on Plaza Lane near
Chadwick Drive. The park includes lush, green fields, a
cement patio with 6 picnic tables for barbecues and
parties (no grills), a playground with slides and a
jungle gym for kids with the newer cushioned safety
flooring park benches to sit and relax. Across the field
and entry to the park is a connecting entryway to the
Norma Brandell Gibbs Butterfly Park which includes
eucalyptus groves and a butterfly mural.
A plaque
in the park commemorates a special Huntington Beach
person, Dick Yukio Nerio. Dick Nerio and the Nerio
family owned the land prior to the development of the
Summerlane community and the Gibbs Park extension. From
1947 to 1989 the Nerio family operated the Meadowlark
Airport and a farming operation on the park site. As the
land transitioned to its current use, the Nerio family
was instrumental in the development of the park.
Dick Nerio was beloved in the community as a family
man, a Rotary International member, Orange County
Japanese American Association and South Coast Orchid
Society. He was love and respected by all. A
commemorative plaque to Dick Nerio which stands at the
foot of a tree in Gibbs Park was donated by Rotary
International Huntington Beach and Catellus Residential
Group on January 21, 2001.
Gibbs Park features free curbside parallel parking
for cars. The park does not have restroom facilities.
Huntington Beach
Parks
The City of
Huntington Beach (California) is the caretaker
and steward of the Huntington Beach public park
system. Two departments involved with Huntington
Beach parks are the Community Services
Department and Park Maintenance. Park Maintenance is
responsible for maintaining approximately
70
parks and public facilities, totaling 598 acres,
169 playground apparatus and irrigation
systems.
Park
Maintenance is also an
integral component in
special events in the City,
closely working with
Community Services to set up
for events and activities
that take place on or near
park facilities. Community Services not only
handles the rental of the
park facilities but also
operates programs for the
public that include softball
leagues, exercise classes,
cooking, dancing and other
types of interesting and fun
things to do.
For more
information on park
maintenance call (714)
536-5480. For information
on park facilities or to
make a reservation call
Community Services at (714)
536-5486 or the phone
numbers provided on the
featured parks pages.
|
