On a recent Sunday, I spent a sunny morning roaming Irvine’s 339-acre William R. Mason Regional Park. While in pursuit of 10,000 steps through the park’s meandering walkways and adjacent open space, I encountered a number of charming scenes.
Under the shade of a lakeside tree, I met Irvine resident Peter Kruse, 87, who has been visiting the park since it opened in 1973. As one of the commodores of the Orange County Model Sailing Club, Kruse meets with fellow enthusiasts to sail remote-controlled model yachts on the park’s 9-acre lake. On Wednesdays, the group sails schooners, and on Saturdays, they race. But this Sunday was dedicated to sailing 1-meter boats.
While crossing an arched footbridge across the fountained lake, I saw dozens of turtles sunning themselves atop rocks while geese chased and honked at each other on the nearby grass. I introduced myself to leashed dogs (Hi, Rusty! Who’s a good boy?), thrilled to be out on a leisurely, sun-soaked walk.
Your choice of fun and games
On one of the park’s large, open fields, I met UC Irvine sophomore Sabrina Le, who, as the director of philanthropy for the school’s Alpha Phi sorority, was hosting members of four UCI fraternities for a spirited game of “bubble soccer” to benefit the American Heart Association. The players are half-encased in inflatable plastic “bubbles” (imagine yourself tucked inside a giant beach ball from the waist up) so they continually bounce off each other, and inevitably the ground, as they play.
“While crossing an arched footbridge across the fountained lake, I saw dozens of turtles sunning themselves atop rocks while geese chased and honked at each other on the nearby grass.”
After passing the park’s amphitheater, with its small stage and sweeping grassy audience space, I fondly recalled the days when my (now-college-aged) children were young as I observed mothers chasing after excited toddlers, who were themselves chasing after butterflies, in the park’s Butterfly Habitat.
Small groups of people materialized throughout the park during my morning visit: some playing soccer with pop-up goals, others doing calisthenics, and some sharing snacks in folding chairs. The sandy volleyball courts, fitness equipment and numerous horseshoe pits all stood at the ready for visitors to use.
The best picnic shelters
Finally, as I heard the laughter of children enjoying the shaded play structures and riding their tiny bicycles on the paved walkways, I found myself strategizing how I could host a party at this lovely park. Its six covered shelters, which can be rented for private events, offer picnic tables, charcoal barbecues, sinks with running water and electrical outlets, and can accommodate groups of 50 to 500 people. I’ve got my eye on the picturesque, lakeside shelter No. 3; now all I need to do is come up with a reason. A college graduation celebration, perhaps?
Learn more about William R. Mason Regional Park at ocparks.com.
