How Long Beach Rotary Founded A Park In the Middle Of Long Beach

By Natalie Hale

Photos submitted by Rotary Club of Long Beach

Tucked into a quiet stretch near Pacific Coast Highway and Junipero Avenue, Rotary Centennial Park is a safe and welcoming green space for nearby residents, families, walkers, and children at play. For two decades, it has been part of the neighborhood—familiar, reliable, and quietly cared for.

Created in 2005 as part of Rotary International’s centennial celebration, the park transformed what had long been an unused railway right-of-way into a linear park designed for everyday use. Through a partnership between the City of Long Beach and the Rotary Club of Long Beach, the space was reimagined with safety, accessibility, and long-term sustainability in mind.

The idea for the park began years earlier. More than 25 years ago, the area was overgrown and overlooked along the old Red Car right-of-way. According to Brian Russell, former president of the Rotary Club of Long Beach, it was then-club president Mark Bixby who first saw its potential.

“Mark envisioned a park where neighborhood kids could play and families could gather in a safe, clean, open space—right in the middle of a densely populated part of town,” Russell recalls. “He shared that vision with the Rotary Club and the community, and support grew quickly. Rotarians stepped up with their time, talent, and treasure to help bring Rotary Centennial Park to life.”

“While Mark is no longer with us, his influence remains so tangible and visible throughout this beautiful park,” explains Kay Cofield, a past president of the Rotary Club of Long Beach.

One of the park’s most distinctive features is its public artwork. Along the walking path, visitors encounter a scale model of the solar system, including a stainless-steel sundial sculpted by local artist Patrick Vogel and planet sculptures spaced to reflect their relative distances. Originally created by artist and former Rotarian Philip Smith and later updated by muralist Karen Wall Garrison, the installation blends art, science, and imagination, encouraging curiosity and discovery for visitors of all ages.

“After two decades of exposure to weather and daily use, the sculptures are beginning to show signs of wear,” explains Centennial Park Chair Robyn Gordon-Peterson. With the help of Rotary and the City of Long Beach, the plan is to restore the installation, update signage, improve lighting, and enhance accessibility, caring for what is already there rather than changing the park’s character.

Pictured left to right: Brian Russell, John Graham, Robyn Gordon-Peterson, & Kay Cofield

Centennial Park also serves as a gathering place for the community. On April 4, the park will host an Easter egg hunt and book fair, both open to the public. “Events like this are exactly what the park was created for,” says John Graham of the Rotary Centennial Park Committee. “It’s about giving families a reason to come out and enjoy a space that belongs to the whole community.”

Today, Rotary Centennial Park stands as a community gathering place, not because of a single moment, but because of steady care, shared responsibility, and a belief that public spaces matter. Community members are welcome to join Rotarians for park clean-ups on the second Saturday of each month at 8:30am.

Rotary Centennial Park: 1729 Junipero Ave, 90804

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Remembering Mark Bixby

Mark Bixby was a rare blend of intellect, humility, and heart—an athlete and computer enthusiast, musician and master handyman, fearless yet quietly generous. Exceptionally bright, he earned degrees from Duke University and MIT. Professionally, he built a respected career in commercial real estate, beginning at Bixby Land Company and later working with Pacific Retail Partners. Beyond Rotary of Long Beach President, Mark was a lifelong YMCA “Y Kid.” He cherished Camp Fox and Camp Oakes and helped design the campfire bowl still used today. An avid cyclist and environmental advocate, his voice proved pivotal in the restoration of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. Mark approached every challenge with curiosity and conviction. He died tragically in a plane crash in 2011, and is survived by wife, Theresa and 3 grown children.