NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—As part of the development plan for Uptown Newport, the official launching of the city’s newest park, the Uptown Newport Park, commenced March 19 featuring local city leaders and a guest musical performance.
“We’re excited,” Brian Rupp, executive vice president of Real Estate for Shopoff Realty Investments, told The Epoch Times. “This is part of the Uptown Newport master plan that we [Shopoff Realty Investments] are the master developer on its 25-acre site and as part of the project, we built a park.
“It’s a one-acre park. And that park is open to the public and it’s part of the Newport Beach Park system and is open for everyone to enjoy.”
The boat-themed park coincides with rubber soft top blue turf, two barbeques, four picnic tables, and a restroom facility that is surrounded by the One Uptown Newport, a new high-density apartment complex, close to the Irvine city border and adjacent to Jamboree Road.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be here today not only to celebrate the grand opening [of Uptown Newport Park] but we get to celebrate 30 years for Shopoff Realty which is a great milestone,” Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett shared on stage.
“Shopoff Realty Investments is to be applauded for creating a unique community of neighborhood shops, restaurants, parks, and upscale homes and apartments with more to come.”
Supervisor Katina Foley also gave praise to Newport Beach’s newest park.
“This is a great model for the future where we can have a public-private partnership,” she said to the crowd.
“It’s just wonderful to see these kinds of projects continue on and we have a lot more work to do here in Orange County.”
The park also features an open grass area available for sporting activities, but for tonight only, it was the stage for rockabilly revival band artist Lee Rocker and members of his current lineup.
Attendees of the park’s dedication ceremony were transported to the park by two-minute golf cart rides from parking structures off Von Carman Avenue, giving hint that parking spaces are limited—as there are only four parking spots, plus two handicapped spots.
“The only bad thing is parking," Yelp user Kay A., of Dana Point, wrote on the park’s Yelp page.
“Most of the parking is reserved. I got the last spot on a weekday morning.”
The park layout itself handled the estimated crowd of 100 attending the night festivities, as distant planes departing and arriving at John Wayne Airport could be seen flying off into the weekend sunset skies.
“This is a great accomplishment, and we really welcome this beautiful development,” Mayor of Newport Beach Kevin Muldoon said.
“What you’ve done is great for the community here.”
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