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Anaheim River Park: What the New Riverside Park Means for the Platinum Triangle

By Anaheim Life Editorial5 min read
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Illustration of a dirt footpath lined with young staked saplings leading toward a riverside park, a sundial in the foreground and distant stadium light towers silhouetted across the river in warm morning light.

Anaheim River Park is a planned 3.4-acre passive nature park between Angel Stadium and the Santa Ana River, south of the 57 Freeway and north of Orangewood Avenue. It is the first phase of the City's OC River Walk plan. It is expected to open in 2027 and will not have its own parking lot.

Platinum Triangle residents have watched housing go up near the stadium for years. Open space has lagged behind. River Park is a small step toward fixing that, and it is the first part of the City's riverbed plans that people will actually be able to visit. This explainer covers what is confirmed so far.

Where River Park is

The City's environmental filing for the Anaheim River Park Project puts the site south of State Route 57, north of Orangewood Avenue, west of the Santa Ana River and east of Angel Stadium. The listed cross streets are E. Orangewood Avenue and Rampart Street. That 2022 filing gives the size as 3.4 acres. Voice of OC describes it as about 3 acres behind the stadium along the river.

The same filing calls it a "passive nature park" that keeps most of the existing trees and leaves much of the site in its natural state. It says the park is meant for trail users, pedestrians, drivers and future Stadium District residents. Hoodline reports it will be Anaheim's 69th park.

What the park will include

Voice of OC lists these planned features:

  • A playground and exercise zone

  • Picnic seating

  • A sundial

  • An interactive canoe installation

  • A commemorative poem

  • Wildlife information panels

  • Design elements inspired by native ancestry

Hoodline also lists the playground, the canoe exhibit, the sundial and the poem. It is a neighborhood-scale park, so expect a place for a short visit, a picnic or a playground stop. It is not a sports complex.

Why there is no parking lot

River Park will open without a lot of its own. Public Works Director Rudy Emami told Voice of OC: "The parking will eventually come in future discussions with the Angels and the development of that site." Officials said building parking now would be difficult. Until parking is built, they expect visitors to use the Angels' existing lot.

Hoodline reports that Emami described this order of work as intentional: the City is building the park first so it can support future development around it. For residents who already live within walking distance, the missing lot matters less. If you plan to drive, check parking conditions before you go, especially on stadium event days.

Cost and funding

According to Voice of OC, the City Council unanimously approved a construction contract of about $4.5 million. The outlet reports the park is paid for entirely with environmental grants, and the current city budget sets aside $5.5 million for it. Hoodline reports that Urban Habitat won the contract and that the engineer's estimate was $4.6 million.

What it means for the Platinum Triangle

Both Voice of OC and Hoodline describe River Park as the first phase of the City's OC River Walk, a project of roughly $200 million. It would run along the riverbed from Angel Stadium past Honda Center toward Anaheim Coves. Voice of OC notes that the effort comes after Orange County cleared homeless encampments from the riverbed in 2017. Hoodline reports that the State Coastal Conservancy gave $5 million for early OC River Walk planning.

The City's OC River Walk Draft EIR, which was open for public review from July 24 to Sept. 8, 2025, covers 90 acres of the river corridor between Ball Road and Orangewood Avenue in Anaheim and Orange. It proposes three inflatable rubber dams, two pedestrian and bicycle bridges, trail improvements and railroad undercrossings. Proposed amenities include terraced seating, nature play areas, parklets, plazas, event gathering areas, water access and a kayak launch.

All of that is still a proposal. The sources do not show a funded schedule for the wider River Walk. For now, River Park is the only piece being built. It gives Platinum Triangle neighbors a nearby green space and a first look at how the City wants the riverbank to work.

When it opens

River Park is not open yet. Reporting from September 2026 by Voice of OC and Hoodline said the park would open in summer 2027. Treat that date as provisional. Construction schedules can change, so check the City of Anaheim's official channels for confirmed opening details.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Where is Anaheim River Park?

It sits between Angel Stadium and the Santa Ana River, south of the 57 Freeway and north of Orangewood Avenue. The City's filing lists E. Orangewood Avenue and Rampart Street as cross streets.

When will Anaheim River Park open?

Voice of OC and Hoodline reported in September 2026 that it would open in summer 2027. Treat that as provisional and check the City of Anaheim for confirmed details.

Does River Park have parking?

No. It will open without its own lot. Public Works Director Rudy Emami said parking will come later through talks with the Angels and development of the stadium site, and officials expect visitors to use the Angels' existing lot until then.

What will River Park include?

Planned features include a playground and exercise zone, picnic seating, a sundial, an interactive canoe installation, a commemorative poem, wildlife information panels and design inspired by native ancestry.

How is River Park connected to OC River Walk?

River Park is the first phase of the City's roughly $200 million OC River Walk plan. The wider project's Draft EIR proposes dams, bridges, trails and other amenities along 90 acres of the river corridor, but those parts are still proposals.