Beale Park (Bakersfield) facts for kids

Beale Park is a public park located in Bakersfield, California. It was the very first park built in Bakersfield. You can find it on Oleander Street.

The Story of Beale Park

How the Park Started

Beale Park opened in 1908. It was built on about 5 acres (20,000 square meters) of land. This land was a gift from a person named Truxtun Beale. He also helped pay for the park's landscaping. He even donated a cool Greek-style outdoor theater and a swimming pool.

Over the years, the park has gotten many updates. Two large picnic areas were added. You can reserve these for parties or gatherings. Many smaller picnic spots were also added. The park also got several different sports courts and fields.

From Pool to Spray Park

For a long time, Beale Park had a swimming pool. But like many city pools, it needed repairs. In 2004, a new water park opened in Downtown Bakersfield. So, the city decided not to fix the old pool at Beale Park. Instead, they removed it and built a fun spray park in its place. A spray park is a play area with water jets and sprinklers.

The Famous Parakeets

In 1977, a big wind storm hit Bakersfield. It blew the roof off an aviary (a large cage for birds) at the park. At least two parakeets flew away! Since then, a large group of parakeets has made Beale Park their home. They have also spread to nearby Beach Park and Hart Park. These parakeets have grown into the largest group of wild parakeets in the world!

Fun Things to Do at Beale Park

Beale Park is one of the best-equipped parks in Bakersfield. It has lots of things for everyone to enjoy.

Picnic Areas

• There are two large picnic areas you can reserve. Each one can seat up to 80 people.
• These areas are open-air and have a barbecue grill. They also have lights, so you can stay after dark.
• You'll find many smaller picnic spots too. These can seat 8 to 16 people.
• Some small picnic spots have barbecues, and some are covered to give you shade.

Sports and Games

• The park has one basketball court with lights.
• There are three tennis courts, also with lights.
• You can play horseshoes on four lit horseshoe pits.
• There's a softball backstop for baseball or softball games.
• A large open field is perfect for many different lawn sports.

Other Features

• Beale Park has restrooms for visitors.
• There is also a fun playground for younger kids.
• The park has an outdoor theater, just like the one Truxtun Beale donated. It has a Greek-style stage and grass seating. The Bakersfield Symphony orchestra used to perform concerts there in the summer.