Baldwin Park previews summer parks lineup, Barnes Park reopening and Pride of the Valley 5K surge

Baldwin Park staff on July 6 outlined a busy summer parks calendar, previewed the July 18 Barnes Park reopening with a large stormwater-capture element, and reported a surge in registrations for the Pride of the Valley 5K on Aug. 1.

"We're going to have the grand reopening on Saturday, July 18 at Barnes Park," Albert said, describing renovations that include a new dog park, playground upgrades, expanded parking, and a future athletic field and futsal court. He added that the Barnes Park stormwater infiltration project will "capture up to 5,000,000 gallons of water per storm cycle."

Program coordinator Jeremy reviewed Parks Make Life Better Month activities across city parks, including family movie nights, game-truck evenings, petting-zoo events and child-focused activities at Morgan Park and Zucco Park. Jeremy said staff are taking steps to address capacity and safety: planning additional shade and canopies, co‑ordinating overflow parking with nearby churches, and stationing staff and crossing attendants at busy corners.

"We were able to expand the petting zoo footprint this year; the event drew roughly between 1,000 and 2,000 participants and we extended the schedule to allow everyone to enter," Jeremy said, noting plans to increase staffing and parking guidance for future events.

Jenny Torres, who presented the Pride of the Valley 5K, said the race has seen steady outreach and a large uptick in registrations this year, reporting 629 entrants so far. She listed sponsors including In‑N‑Out, Royal Coaches, Planet Fitness, Action Designs and BMO Bank, and gave registration costs at $25 for the 5K, $32 for the 10K and a $15 T‑shirt option. Torres said the race offers club- and school-based registration challenges and will provide vouchers and prizes for top finishers.

Commissioners pressed staff about logistics: concerns included long lines at face-painting booths and parking spillover that affected nearby library patrons during past petting-zoo events. Staff said they will share public parking maps, coordinate with local churches for overflow parking and deploy crossing guards or staff in high-traffic locations during major events.

The commission also asked for staff to provide additional fact sheets about the Barnes Park stormwater project and to coordinate parking for commissioners who plan to attend the reopening. The city encouraged residents to check the Baldwin Park website and social media for schedules and safety guidance.