A park that lives up to its name
Envisioned as one of the nation’s premier public spaces, Great Park is quickly becoming a civic asset for the ages. A metropolitan park that is designed as both a regional destination with world-class entertainment and sports facilities, and as a neighborhood touchstone. Where nearby residents explore the trails, breathe the fresh air and enjoy the California sunshine.
Places to go & things to do
AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Huge, actually.
When fully realized, Great Park will be 1,300 acres of beautifully programmed, lovingly landscaped green space — one of the country’s largest municipal parks, ever. Transforming this much land from military base to public park takes time. As part of a unique public/private partnership between the City of Irvine and Heritage Fields El Toro LLC, 688 acres are being enhanced for generations to enjoy.
Great events & more
There are so many ways to enjoy Great Park, from art exhibits and craft fairs to soccer camps and gardening classes, and the list is sure to grow. To see a list of upcoming events and learn more about Great Park, visit the official Great Park site.
View EventsNew era, new view
1940s
Once upon a time this land was an active military base known as the Marine Corp Air Station El Toro. Originally established in 1942 to serve as a training base for World War II combat pilots, it became a permanent military base in 1945.
1950s - 1999
And in 1950 it was selected as a Master Jet Station. It continued to be a productive and efficient training base for nearly five decades before being decommissioned in 1999.
Today
Now it is the site of one of the country’s largest land restoration and adaptive reuse projects, transforming into a community of parks and beautiful homes.