Veterans Memorial Park (Sylmar, California)
| Veterans Memorial Community Regional Park | |
|---|---|
 The park in December, 2017. | |
 | |
| Type | County park |
| Location | Sylmar, Los Angeles |
| Coordinates | 34°19′35″N 118°25′0″W / 34.32639°N 118.41667°W |
| Area | 97 acres (39 ha) |
| Established | 1979 |
| Website | parks |
The Veterans Memorial Community Regional Park is a large, 97-acre (39 ha), county park in the neighborhood of Sylmar in Los Angeles, California. It is on the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains at the northeastern edge of the San Fernando Valley. The park includes grassy picnic areas, a large pavilion, camping areas, and a community recreation building.[1]
It borders the Angeles National Forest in the north; access is provided to the forest via the May Canyon Road and surrounding hiking trails. There is an 18-hole disc golf course in the south of the park.[2]
The park occupies the site of the San Fernando Veterans Administration Hospital built in the 1940s which was severely damaged by the 1971 Sylmar Earthquake. The United States' government transferred ownership of the property to the County of Los Angeles in 1972 and the hospital was demolished. The park was dedicated in 1979.[1]
The park has suffered fire damage on multiple occasions due to its proximity to fire-prone mountains. In 1990, a brush fire damaged about 5 acres of the park.[3] On November, 2008, the Sayre Fire started near the park and caused severe fire damage to the park itself, including the destruction of the 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) administration building, a drawbridge gate, water supply equipment and a cactus garden. Access to the park was restricted by fire officials and at first not even park staff were allowed to enter.[4][5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Veterans Memorial Community Regional Park". Los Angeles County - Parks & Recreation. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ^ danielrc2014 (2021-02-08). "Panoramic Views, Hiking and a Memorial to a Deadly Los Angeles Earthquake 50 Years Ago". Explore Southern California. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Brush Fires Hit Sylmar, West Hills". Los Angeles Times. 1990-05-07. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ^ "Fire Forces Evacuations, Burns Homes in Sylmar Area: Sayre Fire is near the Foothill Freeway in Northern Los Angeles". My Fox LA.
- ^ "9 parks remain closed from fire damage". Daily News. 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2023-10-10.