Author: ICNV Staff

Five years ago, the 125-acre ARDA site at the Great Park had been planned, designed, and approved by the State for a Veterans Memorial Park & Cemetery. Just as construction was set to begin, Irvine land developer FivePoint intervened with their own plan — a backroom political deal to block construction on the ARDA site so that FivePoint could grab the multi-million-dollar property to build massive office, commercial, and industrial projects.

Frustrated by years of delays, 19,790 Irvine residents signed an initiative petition designating the ARDA site as the only property legally available for a Veterans Memorial Park. In May 2020, the City Council adopted the initiative, making it the binding law of the City. So, when will construction begin?

A residential citrus tree in town has tested positive for a plant disease called Huanglongbing (HLB) that infects and kills all citrus tree varieties, marking the first time the disease has been confirmed within Irvine.

The 1,300-acre Great Park has now reopened, with a wide variety of amenities and attractions for the whole family to enjoy.