History
1941 Lodi Parks & Recreation Department was established. Ralph Francis was the first Recreation Director.
1943 The Teen-Age center, Ye Olde Hangout opens and membership is $1.00. (1)
1948 Little League was started and grew to 72 teams twelve years later. (2)
1949 Supervisor of Parks moved from Street Department to Department of Recreation.
1950 Purchased 10 acres on Stockton Street to construct Blakely Park. The pool was constructed in 1957.
1951 First 4thof July Fireworks event at Lodi Lake. Budget was $425 for fireworks and 16,000 people in attendance.
1952 Square Dancing first offered, continued to almost 2012.
1960 Boosters of Boys/Girls Sports (BOBS) was formed.
1966 Lights installed at Lawrence Park baseball fields (Zupo) when the pros played. (3)
1967 Proposed expansion of Lodi Lake, 50 acres (nature area). The City purchased Lodi Lake in 1934. (4)
1975 Kofu Park lighted. Joint project with BOBS.
1976 $3,800 for fireworks and band at 4thof July.
1979 New Kofu Park sign, the 600-pound sign is made from granite and was given from Lodi’s sister city of Kofu, Japan.
1982 Talks begin to create Art Commission.
1983 California Conservation Corps remove rotten seating from Grape bowl reducing capacity to 10,000. The Grape bowl was built in 1940 under president FDR Work Progress Administration Program; there were 22,000 seats when it was completed for $150,000.
1985 Senior Citizens Commission created.
1986 Development of the Lodi Lake Docent Program.
1987 Installed new 25-meter pool at Blakely Park.
1989 Boys Baseball Team (Age 14-15) goes to Babe Ruth World Series.
1989 South portion of Hutchins Street Square opens.
1990 Dog parks established at Lawrence and Vinewood Parks.
1996 Installed concrete bleachers at Kofu Park.
1998 Installed new front entrance at Lodi Lake Park.
1998 North side of Hutchins Street Square Complex opens.
2000 Constructed Katzakian Park, a 5-acre park located on Turner Road.
2002 Converted Tennis courts into Basketball Courts at Hale Park.
2003 Installed new wireless scoreboard at Zupo Field.
2010 Artificial turf field installed at Grape Bowl.
2011 The Parks and Recreation Department becomes the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department.
2012 DeBenedetti Park opens on Lower Sacramento Road.
2015 Rose Gate Park opens, it becomes the 28thpark in the City of Lodi.
2016 A $710,000 State grant funds construction of a new parking lot, boat ramp and dock at Lodi Lake
2016 The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department celebrates its 75th anniversary with a year of special events and treasure hunts.
2017 Blakely Park is awarded an $882,340 State grant to renovate playing fields.
2018 The City is awarded a $1 million State grant to repair riverbank erosion at Lodi Lake.
2018 The Nature Area at Lodi Lake Park is awarded a $250,000 State grant for renovations
2018 Lodi Lions Club constructs a replacement playground for 2- to 5-year-olds at Emerson Park