Whaley Park Lighting of the Letters is Sunday

Whaley Park Dec 2nd

Lighting of the Letters

Sunday December 2nd is the Annual Whaley  Park Lighting of the Letters

The Lighting of the Letters tradition returns this year on December 3nd to the Los Altos Village neighborhood adjacent to Whaley Park (North)  with the 4th Annual Lighting of the Letters community kick-off event marking the return of  giant letters spelling out  holiday greetings. 

In the 1950's during the holidays residents living around Whaley Park North each displayed one giant letter that combined spelled out around the perimeter of the park the holiday messages of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

1950's vintage Whaley Park letter

Why the tradition was lost and what happened to most of the old letters remains a mystery. As the years went by, enough people still remembered the old tradition as the occasional random letter was found as the homes changed hands over the years, keeping the mid-century Whaley Park Christmas Letters story alive.

Fast forward to the 21st Century. In 2015 former LB Airport

City Prosecutor Doug Haubert

Commissioner and now Long Beach City Prosecutor Doug Haubert (and long-time 4th District resident) worked with an airline called Kalitta Charters to settle 13 LB Noise Ordinance violations for $54,000. Separate from the first Long Beach Airport Consent Degree fines that go to the Long Beach Library Foundation, the 2015 Kalitta agreement funds went to the Long Beach Community Foundation to establish and administer two community funds that would directly benefit the airport impacted neighborhoods in the 4th and 8th Council Districts. 

In the 4th District, the fund created is called the Los Altos Charitable Giving Fund (LACGF). Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw was asked to recommend a committee to plan and oversee LACGF projects. The eventual Los Altos resident committee members, Michele "K" Kreinheder, Bill Marshall and Joe Mello met and quickly decided to bring back the Whaley Park Christmas Letters tradition.

To contribute to the Los Altos Giving Fund click on: LOS ALTOS

In 2015, a kick-off  event at Whaley Park took place announcing the plans to bring back the holiday letters with displays of one of the original holiday letters and a prototype of the new letters. In 2016. the new letters were installed and neighbors from all over Los Altos Village showed up to see the new letters, hand made by the  Long Beach Area Council of Boy Scouts.

New Whaley Park Letters made by the Long Beach Area Council of Boy Scouts

The LACGF committee in cooperation with Councilman Supernaw's office and the Los Altos Village Neighbors organize the event.

Los Altos Village's own popular Santa will return again this year as will the bounce house, holiday music and other family fun. Neighbors are encouraged to bring cookies and treats to share.

A box to collect unwrapped toys to distribute to needy families will also be available at the Lighting of the Letters event.

Los ALtos Village t-shirts

Los Altos Village neighborhood shirts and flags will also be available with proceeds going to support Los Altos Village Neighbors. 

Los Altos Great Mex displays neighborhood flag

Lloyd Whaley developed the planned community neighborhoods of  East Long Beach including Los Altos Village and Park Estates (originally called Los Altos Park Estates). Whaley also planned and built the Los Altos Shopping Center .

Other Whaley developments include the neighborhood of Country Club Manor in North Long Beach and the Galaxy Tower on Ocean Blvd in Bluff Park.  Whaley donated land for numerous public uses around Long Beach including Whaley Park, the Los Altos Public 


To contribute to the Los Altos Giving Fund click on:  LOS ALTOS