Parks & Recreation
Civic Auditorium
The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium is the cultural seat of the community as an event and convention venue located in downtown Santa Cruz.
Civic Homepage
London Nelson Community Center
The community center is the perfect place to play, whether for a day in the park or a private event.
London Nelson Homepage
Santa Cruz Wharf
Built in 1914, the Santa Cruz Wharf is over a 1/2 mile long and stretches into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Open 365 days a year, visit the Wharf today!
Wharf Homepage
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Friends of Parks and Recreation Mission is to support the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department in providing programs and facilities to promote social, cultural and recreational well-being of the residents of Santa Cruz. Thank you for supporting Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation!
Significant Wharf Updates
Upcoming Wharf Projects
On December 23, 2024, the end of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, where the Dolphin Restaurant and Restroom #3 were located, collapsed into the ocean along with two workers. The collapsed section was approximately 180 ft. in length on the southernmost end of the Wharf. The collapsed area had been damaged in the Winter 2023-24 storms and was under construction at the time of the collapse. Two workers were rescued by Santa Cruz Lifeguard Unit 3166 and sustained only minor injuries.
In February 2025, the Santa Cruz City Council formed an ad hoc sub-committee to work with City staff on a near-term proposal to address the damaged end of the Wharf. The proposal(s) will be presented to City Council in late Spring 2025. This work will parallel the City’s timing and implementation of the Wharf Master Plan. Prior to the Wharf partial collapse, the City received a grant for approximately $7 million through the California Coastal Conservancy to advance Wharf Master Plan projects on the Wharf. More information on the Wharf Master Plan can be found here. The City Council and staff will prioritize Wharf recovery efforts while also planning for implementation of the grant funding. The City is continuing to work with the State in regards to disaster reimbursement from the December incident. More information will be forthcoming this spring.
Staff
Tony Elliot
Director of Parks & Recreation
Mike Godsy
Superintendent of Parks
Tremain Hedden-Jones
Superintendent of Recreation
Lindsay Bass
Principal Management Analyst
Joyce Blaschke
Community Relations Specialist
Phone
831-420-5270
Fax
831-420-5271
Email
parksandrec@santacruzca.gov
Location
323 Church Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
View Map
Hours
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - Noon
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.