Despite failed attempts spanning decades, the vision of a developed harbor at Playa del Rey inlet persisted over many decades. What finally emerged in the early 1960‘s was worth the wait. With a staggering eight miles of crafted waterfront encompassing 400 acres of docks, boat slips, and channels, Marina del Rey was like no other harbor in the nation.
Today’s Marina del Rey hosts 5,000 vessels, 10,000 residents, thousands more daytime workers, and is a destination for shopping, dining and tourism. With miles of waterfront public access, the harbor serves boats arriving via trailer for day outings, sail and power boats of all sizes in rented slips, and visitors to its beaches and parks. It is a venue for tall ships, kayakers, boat shows, yacht races, outdoor concerts, and its annual holiday boat parade. It serves and is managed by Los Angeles County, whose population of 10 million and budget of $30 billion exceed that of many of our nation’s states.
Created during the post-WWII expansion of our nation’s population and infrastructure, Marina del Rey’s planning and construction might never have succeeded during any other era. Political vision, government funding, private investment, federal and state resources all joined forces to create what has become, perhaps, Los Angeles County’s most valuable single asset. No other harbor in the United States is quite like Marina del Rey. The preservation of its history is a vital and deserved commitment.
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