In fact, Irvine earned the No. 3 spot in WalletHub’s Happiest Cities in America ranking. That’s up two spots from last year.

Analysts from WalletHub examined 29 key indicators of happiness — ranging from the depression rate to the income-growth rate to average leisure time spent per day — among residents in more than 180 cities across the country.

Irvine’s park system is currently ranked the best in California and the second best in the entire nation, according to the Trust for Public Land. The Mayor’s team is now developing an Urban Forest Master Plan that will add thousands more trees which will be aesthetically pleasing while helping to provide shade, clean the air, and cool our City.

The Mayor also wants the City to establish a large-scale solar rooftop and battery storage program to help Irvine residents significantly save on their monthly electricity bills and reduce our overall City carbon footprint.

The Irvine Fieldhouse — scheduled to open to the public next year — will become Irvine’s first municipal gym. Designed to meet residents’ needs, the facility will be equipped for basketball, volleyball, and badminton, and serve as a hub for City-run programs, youth sports tournaments, and community events.

The Fieldhouse will include 10 multi-purpose courts, 10 badminton courts, a multipurpose room, a food court, and much more, as well as 369 parking spaces.

The City’s inaugural Fourth of July event will feature a community parade, live entertainment, hands-on activities, and dazzling nighttime drone and fireworks shows.

The celebration kicks off at 4pm with live music at Hangar 244, followed by a community parade at 5pm along the Great Park Historical Timeline. Families are invited to bike, roll, or scoot in the parade. After the parade, enjoy activities that include a bubble zone, inflatable obstacle courses at The Layover, craft tents, a cake walk, face painting, sand volleyball competitions, and more.

“Being ranked second in the nation and first in California is a tremendous honor that reflects Irvine’s long-standing commitment to parks and public spaces,” said Mayor Larry Agran. “This recognition is the result of intentional planning, community vision, and a deep-rooted commitment to preserving the land around us. Our parks are more than just green spaces — they’re essential to community health, connection, and quality of life.”

Years ago, Mayor Larry Agran and other environmental activists got the City of Irvine to set a goal to plant 500,000 trees, which has been reached.

Now, the City is setting a new goal to plant thousands more trees to provide shade, help clean the air, sequester carbon, cool the City, and help reach Irvine’s Climate Action Plan goals.