Ever seen ducks swim beside discarded Easter presents? Welcome to Del Rey Lagoon Park a 14-acre haven in Playa Del Rey. This isn’t just any park. Del Rey Lagoon Park boasts a rich history. It’s part of the larger Ballona Creek watershed.
Originally Del Rey and Ballona Lagoons were one. In the early 1900s the lagoon hosted crew races. Then came the Los Angeles Motordrome a groundbreaking board track for race cars. It stood right next to the lagoon from 1910 to 1913.
The lagoon’s tidal connection changed. The discovery of the Venice Oil Field and flood control efforts altered Ballona Creek. The creation of Marina Del Rey in the 1960s further impacted the lagoon. It became landlocked.
In the 1950s a water control gate helped. It refilled the lagoon at high tide. Before that the lagoon was a salt marsh. It suffered as a recreational area due to fluctuating water levels. By 1979 a motorized gate flushed the lagoon monthly. Community members cleaned it by hand. They fought smelly algae buildup.
Once Del Rey Lagoon was a boating paradise. In 1959 it had 28 small boats. People enjoyed canoes sailboats rowboats kayaks outriggers and paddlewheel boats. The city even offered children’s boating classes. Sadly the dock is gone. Boating is no longer permitted.
Today Del Rey Lagoon Park offers lighted baseball fields lighted basketball courts and a children’s playground. A large population of bufflehead ducks great blue herons and coots still call it home. Wild ducks share the lagoon with those former Easter gifts. Del Rey Lagoon Park a place of history recreation and surprising wildlife.