Parks, Recreation and Marine

Hours of Operation:

Mondays: Closed
Tuesday-Sunday: 6:30a.m.-10p.m.

Information

Located at Walnut Avenue, north of Pacific Coast Highway, the 19-acre Chittick Field has a football field surrounded by an all weather track, and three lighted soccer fields that are used by permitted groups. For more information, please call the Department's
Aquatics and Sports office at 570-1725.

History

Located at Walnut Avenue north of Pacific Coast Highway, Chittick Field was developed in 1936 as a storm water detention basin to collect and pump out peak flows as downstream facilities are able to handle the volume. In 1950, Los Angeles County Flood Control District allowed the City to improve the flood basin for recreational purposes. Four baseball diamonds were built. Approvals were granted in 1962 for a 5th diamond and an overlay soccer field, and in 1975 for soccer field irrigation and unpaved parking. In 1977, lighting for the four original fields was added.

Chittick Field was originally called Hamilton Bowl. The name was suggested by students from Hamilton Jr. High School, which was located nearby. Brian Chittick, founder of the Kid Baseball Association was a local softball enthusiast who organized leagues through the Long Beach Elks Club and used Hamilton Bowl for practices and games. He advocated for the use of the basin for recreational purposes. In 1983, the fields were named for him. In 1993, soccer field lights were added as a payment for Park Impact Fees, and in 1995 sports lights for the original four baseball fields were upgraded with Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Act of 1992 funds. In 2005, .75 acres of former Pacific Electric Railway right-of-way were acquired to expand and redevelop Chittick Field, with funding from Community Development Block Grants. By 2000, the irrigation system for the four original fields had deteriorated and the fields were returning to dirt. Know as the "dust bowl' due to unpaved parking, conditions caused league play to be discontinued and redevelopment planning began.

In April 2014, the completely renovated Chittick Field opened. The 19-acre site near was revitalized with the construction of a football field, an all-weather track and other track and field facilities, three soccer fields, restrooms, bleacher areas, sports lighting, landscaping and parking.

Chittick Field remains an active stormwater management facility, and the renovation re-graded the existing bowl and added a low-flow drainage system, a pump station, and various stormwater treatment devices to meet current trash and bacteria reduction regulations. Through this project, the Chittick Field was updated both as a park, and as a flood control detention basin and as a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System compliance site. Bio-swales were located at all the outfalls into the site and the updated system includes trash and bacteria reduction solutions. Native and drought tolerant landscaping with efficient irrigation are incorporated into the landscaping. Additionally, a bike path within the bowl will connect to the bike trail in the Pacific Electric right-of-way, which improves the city's network of bike trails.

To facilitate this significant upgrade of the park, the City of Long Beach and Los Angeles County negotiated the first 99-year lease in the County's history to make this facility available to the community into the next century. The renovation was funded with $9.9 million from the Los Angeles County Park and Open Space District, City of Long Beach Infrastructure funds, Open Space Bonds and a donation from Occidental Petroleum Corporation ($1 million).

Dee Andrews Sports Complex

The Sports Complex at Chittick Field was named the Dee Andrews Sports Complex after the former Vice Mayor and Sixth District Councilman on November 20, 2021.

Following an item brought forth by Councilmember Al Austin, seconded by Councilwoman Stacy Flanigan Mungo, and unanimously approved by the City Council on August 10, 2021, the naming of the sports complex at Chittick Field recognizes Mr. Andrew’s efforts to improving the lives of residents in Central Long Beach.

Dee Andrews served as a member of the Long Beach City Council for more than 13 years and, including serving two years as Vice Mayor.

Mr. Andrews was a schoolteacher, and grew up playing sports at Chittick Field — then known as Hamilton Bowl. He was a star football player at Poly High School, Long Beach City College and Cal State Long Beach.

He was responsible for securing the 9.9 million in funding to create a remodeled Sports Complex at Chittick Field in 2014 that includes a new football field, three soccer fields and a 400-meter all-weather track. The project also included new parking, lighting, restrooms, a bike path, a new pump station and storm water accommodations.

Amenities

All Weather Track, Football Field, (3) Soccer Fields

Map to the Park