Bill Barber Community Park history

In 1864, the year of the Great Drought, Sepulveda sold his 50,000 acres to Irvine, Flint and Bixby for $18,000.

In 1866, Irvine, Flint and Bixby acquired the 47,000-acre Rancho Lomas de Santiago for $7,000.

In 1868, outside investor Abel Stearns was successful in his suit to dissolve the rancho and divide the property among the claimants, four of whom were prosperous sheep ranchers: Benjamin and Thomas Flint, Llewellyn Bixby and James Irvine.

In 1878, James Irvine acquired his partners' interests for $150,000.

In 1893, his son, James Irvine, Jr., came into full possession of the ranch which he incorporated into The Irvine Company one year later.

During World War I, agriculture had intensified, and by 1918, some 60,000 acres of lima beans were grown on the Irvine Ranch.

The Irvine Industrial Complex West (now known as The Irvine Business Complex) opened and the villages of Turtle Rock, University Park, Culverdale, the Ranch and Walnut were completed by 1970.

On December 28, 1971, the residents of these communities voted to incorporate a substantially larger city than that envisioned by the original Pereira plan in order to control the future of the area and protect its tax base.

On July 1, 1975, the Irvine Police Department was formed under the command of Leo E. Peart, the first Chief of Police.

In December of 1976, the growing Irvine Police Department moved into a larger facility at the corner of Jamboree Road and McGaw Avenue in the Irvine Business Complex (IBC). During this time, the Department also began to civilize many of its functions.

In 1981, the Irvine Police Department began to expand its policing capabilities, developing a K9 Unit to assist the Patrol Division.

The first Emergency Response Vehicle featured the latest in technology and served the Department before it was replaced by the Mobile Command Center Vehicle in 1995.

In July 1998, the Irvine Spectrum Center (ISC) Substation opened and was staffed by two full-time police officers.

Because of the increased activity a third full-time police officer and a sergeant were assigned to the ISC in February 1999.

In 2006, the Irvine Police Department proved again to be at the forefront of crime prevention as it developed an ordinance addressing construction site and vacant property security.

In 2007, the Irvine Police Department established a “Youth Liaison Officer” position responsible for assisting the Special Investigations Unit identify and work with at-risk teens in the community.