Lakewood city feature
About this landmark
Mayfair Park anchors community recreation in Lakewood and honors the district's radio-broadcast heritage.
Mayfair Park is located at 5720 Clark Avenue, at the corner of Clark Avenue and South Street in central Lakewood. The park's 18 acres serve as the city's flagship recreation facility and is named after the surrounding Mayfair District housing tract. It is Lakewood's oldest park and the first to be established in the developing postwar community.
The Mayfair District and Historic Naming
The Mayfair neighborhood was named in 1939 by developer Charles Hopper, who chose the name after London's Mayfair district. In the early 1950s, the area was informally called "Radio Park" because its streets were named after broadcast-radio stars. Hopper's opening ribbon-cutting ceremony for the neighborhood featured radio performers including Gene Autry, Hedda Hopper, and Jimmie Fidler. The park's historic legacy and namesake reflect this connection; the facility became the focal point for the district as Lakewood developed.
The park offers athletic fields, tennis courts, and recreation amenities alongside the John S. Todd Community Center, a 14,000-square-foot facility dedicated in 1991. The center honors city attorney John Sanford Todd, known as the father of the Lakewood Plan, who served 50 years. Lisa Fernandez Field is named for the Olympic gold-medal-winning softball pitcher, and the Howard L. Chambers Municipal Tennis Courts honor a former city manager who served 41 years.
Recreation and the Annual Fiesta
The park features a seasonal swimming pool and wading pools, along with recreation swim hours and facility rentals for groups of various sizes. Mayfair Pool offers daily recreation swimming in the afternoon hours, with admission available for residents and non-residents. The city typically operates two public swimming pools and six wading pools citywide each summer. The park also provides a community center with rental space for meetings and events, plus in-house catering kitchen facilities.
Mayfair Park hosts the city's annual Pan American Fiesta each May. The Fiesta was founded in 1948, when two neighbors pledged to maintain pan-American friendship following World War II. The event is described as the nation's only community-based celebration of the people and cultures of Latin America, drawing attendees from across the region to celebrate traditions and cultural heritage.
Insurance connection: Flood coverage and recreation facilities
Mayfair Park's seasonal pools and recreational water features operate in a community where flood risk is part of the city's hazard planning. Flood insurance differs from standard homeowners policies, which do not cover flood damage. Flood coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) applies to direct physical loss from overflow of inland waters, rapid surface-water accumulation, and mudflow, but does not cover earth movement such as earthquakes or landslides. Flood policies typically take effect 30 days after purchase, though lenders in high-risk zones may require immediate coverage. Eligibility and limits depend on the individual policy. The issued policy controls.
Primary sources: City of Lakewood Mayfair Park page, City of Lakewood Then and Now: Mayfair, and Los Angeles County Library local-history page.
Insurance context is general information only. The issued policy and its endorsements settle coverage.