In this edition of the City Manager’s newsletter, learn about the latest City projects and new developments underway, and find events for children, older adults, job seekers and our entire Santa Ana community.
Spotlight Photo
Spring Fest Open House at El Salvador Community Center
Photo Credit: City staff
To submit your own original photo of Santa Ana to be featured in the next newsletter, complete this form.
City Manager’s Highlights
Building a better Santa Ana
City staff has been busy on new projects that will benefit the Santa Ana community, from new pedestrian improvements to a new aquatics center to bringing in new developments that create jobs and housing.
We recently completed work on the Santa Ana-Delhi Channel Bike Trail Fencing project and new pedestrian mobility improvements. Read more about that below in Tales of the City. We also had a groundbreaking ceremony for the $29.3 million Memorial Park Aquatics Center that will open next year, and we’re getting closer to finishing one of Santa Ana Zoo’s largest expansions ever, the River Otter & Primate Habitat. Watch the video update below from our zoo manager.
At the annual GROW Conference, hosted by the City of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, the business community learned about all of the amazing new developments and economic growth that’s happening here. The video below was presented at the GROW Conference to highlight three unique new projects, The Row at Red Hill apartment community, the Footlab indoor soccer training center, and the Rove electric vehicle charging center.
News
Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros returns April 26
We’re excited to announce that Santa Ana Public Library will hold its 17th annual Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros (Children’s Day, Book Day) celebration on Saturday, April 26. The free event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Plaza of the Sun, 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, which is located between the Main Library and Santa Ana City Hall.
Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros will feature a variety of fun-filled activities and entertainment, including children’s book authors Naibe Reynoso and Heidi Rojas, jugglers and other performers, a book giveaway for children, trackless train rides, an inflatable Fun Derby, 8-track slot car racing, face painting, balloon twisting, and a special meet-and-greet with Biscuit from the popular book series.
Read more about Día de los Niños
Join an Arbor Day tree planting on April 19
In celebration of Arbor Day and Earth Day, we will be hosting community tree planting events at seven parks on Saturday, April 19, from 10 to 11 a.m. We invite neighbors and community members to join us to help plant a tree and add to our urban forest of over 60,000 trees. The City of Santa Ana has been a part of the Tree City USA program since 1999.
Find all tree planting locations
Community joins Memorial Park Aquatics Center groundbreaking
Construction of the new Memorial Park Aquatics Center is officially underway! On Saturday, April 5, we hosted a groundbreaking ceremony attended by City Councilmembers and community members for the $29.3 million project that will replace the original Memorial Park swimming pool built in 1956.
The 6,100-square-foot Aquatics Center will have a 25-meter pool for lap swimming, classes, water polo, training, and competition, as well as a recreational pool that will feature a water slide, water jets, lazy river, and lap lanes. It will also include a community room, locker rooms, a concrete pool deck, lawn areas, and spectator seating with overhead sunshades equipped with solar panels. This facility will be the first all-electric complex in Santa Ana, with HVAC, pools and hot water all powered by electricity. We look forward to an even bigger celebration when the Memorial Park Aquatics Center opens in fall 2026!
Learn more about the Aquatics Center
Playful Learning Landscape opens at Angels Community Park
On Friday, April 5, we joined UCI School of Education and Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative to celebrate the unveiling of two new Playful Learning Landscape installations at Angels Community Park. This was the second park to receive these educational activities donated by UCI. We celebrated the Madison Park installation earlier this year. We invite the community to take your children to Angels and Madison parks to enjoy these great new activities:
- How Tall Am I, at Angels Park, is an interactive height comparison tool introducing math concepts.
- Giant Lotería Game, at Angels Park, is a cultural twist on math and science learning through play.
- Parkopolis, at Madison Park, is a life-size board game that promotes STEM language use, caregiver-child interaction and physical activity.
These projects continue to be a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership that strengthens the connection between parks, recreation, and education. Thank you to UCI for your support!
Tales of the City
Pedestrian mobility project, bike trail fencing completed
Our Public Works Agency has been busy this year, and we want to share two projects that were recently completed. One project improves pedestrian mobility and ADA access at locations throughout the city, and the other is a fencing project that will beautify and improve safety along the Santa Ana-Delhi Channel Bike Trail.
Pedestrian Mobility Improvements Phase I
- Funding: $662,000 from the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
- Curb ramp improvements: Revamped 25 curb ramps to make them ADA compliant, enhancing accessibility and safety for all residents.
- Island median construction: Constructed a new island median at the intersection of 3rd and Spurgeon streets, providing significant traffic calming benefits.
- Installation of rapid flashing beacons: Added rapid flashing beacons at the intersection of Birch and 3rd streets, improving pedestrian safety by enhancing visibility and alerting drivers to pedestrian crossings.
Santa Ana-Delhi Channel Bike Trail Fencing
- Funding: $1.15 million from City General Fund and Measure X
- Project: Removed old cable/post and chain link fencing and installed 4,700 linear feet of new 8-foot-tall security fencing along the Santa Ana-Delhi Channel Bike Trail along Flower Street between the railroad tracks and Sunflower Avenue. The project included installation of new security gates along the bike trail and “no trespassing” signage.
See a map of all current Public Works projects
City Council Meetings
Santa Ana City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, with the closed session beginning at 5 p.m. or earlier. The open meeting session begins at 5:30 p.m. Meetings have both in-person and virtual participation and attendance and are live streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and our TV channel, CTV3 (channel 3 on Spectrum.) If you’d like to provide public comments on agenda and non-agenda items, you can email, attend in person, or join the Zoom webinar online or by phone. Subscribe here to receive City meeting agenda notifications.
Events
Find more City of Santa Ana events on our website.
National Library Week Performer: Wonders of Wildlife – April 11
Join Santa Ana Public Library for a captivating live animal show to celebrate National Library Week! Experience the wonders of nature as expert handlers introduce a variety of fascinating creatures, igniting curiosity and a love for reading in all ages.
- Friday, April 11
- 4–4:45 p.m.
- Newhope Library, 122 N. Newhope St.
Spring Celebration at Senior Centers – April 16
Older residents are invited to join us for a spring celebration at Santa Ana Senior Center and Southwest Senior Center. Enjoy dancing, games, activities, and more! The event is free for registered and active members at their chosen center. For more information, call Santa Ana Senior Center at (714) 647-6540 or Southwest Senior Center at (714) 647-5306.
- Wednesday, April 16
- 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
- Santa Ana Senior Center, 424 W. 3rd St.
- Southwest Senior Center, 2201 W. McFadden Ave.
Tenant’s Rights Community Workshop – April 16
Struggling with housing issues? Want to know your rights as a tenant? Join us for our Tenant’s Rights Workshops! Discover how we can support you in maintaining your housing stability and security. This is your chance to empower yourself with essential knowledge and resources. The next workshop is on April 16.
- Wednesday, April 16
- 5–7 p.m.
- Lathrop Intermediate School – Wellness Center, 1111 S. Broadway
Rent Stabilization 2025 community workshops
Storytime at Sandpointe Park – April 21
Pack a blanket and join Santa Ana Public Library for Storytime at the Park! Immerse your little ones in the magic of storytelling amid the beauty of nature. Storytime begins at 10:30 am. View a flyer or contact us at 714-647-6992 for more information.
- Monday, April 21
- 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Sandpointe Park, 3700 S. Birch St.
Orange County Job Fair @ SAC – April 24
If you’re looking for a new job, your first job, or just some career guidance, join the Santa Ana WORK Center and our other partners at the Orange County Job Fair @ SAC! This free event is open to all job seekers, including Santa Ana College students and Santa Ana Unified School District high school students. It’s your chance to connect with employers across various industries. Saddleback Church will also be offering free professional headshots on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is required for all attendees, so be sure to sign up!
- Thursday, April 24
- 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Santa Ana College, 1530 W. 17th St.
Register for the Orange County Job Fair @ SAC
Parks and Rec Hiring Fair – April 24
The Santa Ana Parks, Recreation & Community Services Agency (PRCSA) is hosting a job fair for summer, part-time and full-time positions, including camp counselors, lifeguards, cashiers, pool managers, and more. Complete the job applications online to move through steps even faster!
In addition to summer camp positions, PRCSA will also be seeking applicants who are innovative, enthusiastic, and results-oriented individuals for aquatics, athletics, community engagement, health and wellness, special events, youth and teens, and Santa Ana Zoo. Stop by to apply in-person and get hired on the spot!
- Thursday, April 24
- 1–5:30 p.m.
- Outside of City Council Chamber at City Hall, 20 Civic Center Plaza
Learn what documents and where to park for the hiring fair.
Resources
Report issues with the mySantaAna app
The mySantaAna mobile app puts the power of the City of Santa Ana government in the palm of your hand! Download the app to quickly and easily report issues such as potholes, graffiti, downed trees and much more.
Who do I call at City Hall?
Important phone numbers:
- City Hall main line: (714) 647-5400
- Code Enforcement: (714) 667-2780
- Graffiti Hotline: (877) 786-7824
- Emergency Water Services: (714) 953-8026
- Public Works dispatch (street sweeping, trees): (714) 647-3380
Find more phone numbers for all City services
Utility services
- City utility services
- Southern California Edison: Call (800) 447-6620
- Southern California Gas: Call (800) 207-8567
- Trash pick-up: Call (657) 467-6220