Sepulveda Dam Basin Master Plan - Los Angeles District - U.S. Army

een carried out, recreation managers’ observations are a good predictor of potential future needsand demands. Recreation managers indicated that the most popular areas at the Basin include:Lake Balboa/Anthony C. Beilenson Park and the associated trails and picnic areasThe Balboa Sports ComplexWoodley Park, including the archery range and cricket fieldsThe Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog ParkHjelte Sports Center fieldsThe golf coursesRecreation managers indicate that none of these areas are so heavily utilized as to suggest thatfuture management actions may be required to address potential resource impacts associated witha large number of visitors. Demands for these amenities are highest on the weekends; during theweek, demand is reasonable but readily managed.Demand is high for soccer, baseball, and for open turf fields that can support flexibleprogramming, which are not dedicated to one particular use. City recreation managers report thatdemands are high for these amenities throughout the City and not just within the immediateservice area covered by the Basin. New amenities planned at the Sports Complex (see Section 6)should help to alleviate demands for active athletics.City managers were queried about visitor use patterns, movement between amenities, and needsfor improved connectivity within the Basin, and from the Basin to adjacent neighborhoods. Usepatterns tend to vary depending on the type of activity that a visitor engages in: if it is highlyspecialized, for example, playing in a sports league, visiting the skate park, walking the dog atthe dog park, using the model airplane field, visitors tend to go to the activity venue, do theactivity, and then leave. Those visiting for more generalized activities, and full day users, maymove around to different destinations. Generally, recreation managers felt that connectivitybetween activity areas within the Basin was very good, and that connections to adjacentneighborhoods were also working well.Managers also indicated potential needs for additional parking, restrooms, and related supportamenities. No chronic parking issues were reported such as visitors parking on grass, or illegallyon roadways that were viewed as requiring management actions. Occasionally the lifeguard atLake Balboa will close the parking lot when it is full; people then park at the Armory or golfcourse and walk. The overflow parking area near the golf course, approximately 7.5 acres, is alsoused. Parking is allowed on Balboa Boulevard for visitors to the Sports Complex. At the dogpark, which is very popular, a grassy overflow area can be used for parking. Managers felt theavailable supply of parking spaces could be managed adequately to meet visitor demands. Thesupply of restrooms is also generally viewed as adequate to meet demands.4.11 ConclusionsThe Sepulveda Dam Basin provides a diverse array of recreational experiences, from“traditional” bat-and-ball active athletics, to sports with specialized audiences such as cricket andarchery, to activities that have responded to relatively recent leisure trends such as the skate-parkLand Allocation, Existing Land Use Classification, and Resource Inventory and Analysis 4-23