City of Santa Ana celebrates grand reopening of Santa Anita Park following $18 million transformation

The Santa Ana City Council led a ribbon cutting for the new community center, police substation, soccer fields, renovated pool and other recreational amenities.

SANTA ANA, Calif. - The City of Santa Ana celebrated the grand reopening of the reimagined Santa Anita Park, marking the completion of an $18 million, multi-year investment that modernizes the 55-year-old neighborhood park with a new community center, renovated swimming pool and expanded recreational opportunities.

The Santa Ana City Council, City and neighborhood leaders, and community members gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 25, 2026, to commemorate the transformation.

"The reopening of Santa Anita Park represents our shared vision for a stronger community where families have safe places to gather, children have opportunities to play and grow, and neighbors have access to quality parks and programs close to home," Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. "This $18 million transformation demonstrates our promise to continue improving quality of life throughout Santa Ana - one neighborhood at a time."

The centerpiece of the project is a new 8,000-square-foot community center that will serve as a hub for recreational programs and Santa Ana Police Athletic and Activity League (PAAL) activities. The facility also includes a Santa Ana Police Department substation, providing officers with a dedicated space to support public safety efforts and strengthen relationships with neighborhood residents. In addition, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency now has on-site offices to support park operations and facility reservations.

The project features a fully renovated swimming pool and pool deck, which have reopened for aquatics programming and recreational swimming. Other park improvements include a new playground, renovated basketball court, expanded parking lot, enhanced site lighting, walking paths, and new landscaping and irrigation systems.

The park's former undeveloped grass and dirt fields have been transformed into synthetic turf soccer fields with Musco sports lighting, bleachers, shade structures and upper terrace areas designed to accommodate group and vendor canopies during sporting events, creating a premier venue for youth sports and community events.

Every improvement was designed to create a welcoming, accessible space that serves residents of all ages while honoring Santa Anita Park's longstanding role as a neighborhood gathering place. The park's combination of recreational amenities, community programming and public safety resources reflects the City's holistic approach to building stronger, healthier neighborhoods.

The Santa Anita Park Project was made possible through a combination of local, state and federal funding sources, including the City's Park Acquisition and Development Fees and Cannabis Public Benefit Fund, the California Youth Soccer and Recreation Development 2002 Bond Act, federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, and the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The City invites residents to visit the newly renovated park at 300 S. Figueroa St.