Author: ICNV Staff

Last year, the Irvine City Council unanimously voted to transition library services from the Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL) and, instead, establish its own Irvine Public Library System.

The Council’s decision came down to finances and services offered to the City’s residents. Irvine taxpayers contribute roughly $17 million to OCPL annually. However, the libraries operated by OCPL in Irvine receive only $5 million annually in services. (Decades ago, the City established its own Irvine Police Department because of a similar funding imbalance.)

Guests were treated to interactive displays, live music performances, and light refreshments while learning about new amenities coming to the Great Park.

The Great Park is currently home to world-class sports fields; a professional soccer stadium; a professional ice rink; Wild Rivers Waterpark; the Great Park Balloon & Carousel; a Visitors Center; the Palm Court Arts Complex; the Great Park Gallery; the Walkable Historical Timeline; the Farm + Food Lab; walking trails; and playgrounds & themed play areas.

The retail center — scheduled to open late next year — will include a specialty grocer, sit-down and fast-casual restaurants, and other shopping options for nearby residents and Great Park visitors.

The Irvine CONNECT shuttle operates on weekdays from 6am until 8pm; and on weekends from 8am until 10pm. Shuttle frequency is every 20 minutes, and passengers are able to track the shuttles in real-time.

The current Yale-Barranca route makes about 70 stops, including Sierra Vista Middle School & Lakeside Middle School; Irvine High School & Woodbridge High School; Lakeview Senior Center; Northwood Community Park & Heritage Community Park; Kaiser Permanente Hospital & Hoag Hospital; Northwood Town Center; retail centers on Alton Parkway & Barranca Parkway; the Irvine Spectrum; and the Irvine Train Station.

To turn that aspiration into reality, the Mayor is beginning to launch a series of initiatives.