Serving the community since 1976, the Lamorinda Soccer Club (LMSC) is a non-profit, competitive level youth soccer club for boys and girls ages 8 through 18. LMSC offers both competitive soccer, seasonal clinics and a Developmental Fall League Program.

Whether you want to go under the Boardwalk … or down by the sea … there’s a patch of sand screaming your name.  Thanks to our perfect positioning in the Bay Area, Lamorindans can be beach-bound in no time!

No matter the time of year, there is just something about spending time in any of our local parks. Grab your picnic basket and head outdoors!

Lafayette

Brook Street Park
3562 Brook Street, Lafayette
The unique Brook Street Park is hidden in a quiet residential neighborhood.  This shady park is the start of a magical adventure for kids of all ages as they explore the two level pirate ship play structure.  The fence enclosing the park will ensure you kids don't wander off while exploring. 

Buckeye Fields
711 Saint Mary’s Road, Lafayette
Looking to shag a few balls or work on your soccer moves with your kids?  The Buckeye Fields in Lafayette is the place to go.  With 2 baseball fields, a juniors soccer field and batting cages, there is enough to keep any family busy for a couple of hours.  There are also picnic tables to share a snack between innings and paved parking off of St. Mary's Road.

Lafayette Community Park
480 Saint Mary’s Road, Lafayette
Lafayette Community Park is just down the road from the Lafayette Community Center.  It is a huge 68 acres large and has two sports fields, two playground areas for different aged children and swings.  There is also a hiking trails within the park as well as picnic tables to rest after your journey.

Lafayette Community Center Tot Lot
500 Saint Mary’s Road, Lafayette
The Lafayette Community Center Tot Lot is the perfect small playground for your young children.  Fenced off on all sides, this area boasts a sandbox, a playstructure with a slide and a climbing structure that looks like a fire truck. There are a few picnic tables to stop and enjoy a snack after enjoying a kindergym class or meeting for a playdate.  

Leigh Creekside Park
Moraga Boulevard and Fourth Street, Lafayette
If you are in the downtown Lafayette area and your kids need to burn off some energy, stop by the Leigh Creekside Park.  There is plenty of open space to help them use that ice cream sugar high and benches and picnic tables to rest.

Lafayette Reservoir
3849 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
ebmud.com/recreation/lafayette-recreation-area
The Lafayette Reservoir has something for everyone - fishing and boating in the reservoir, a 2.7 mile trail for runners and bikers, two play structures, grass space and plenty of picnic areas.  Come and enjoy the scenic views while you walk with your friends and family.

Lafayette Trails
The City of Lafayette released a Lafayette Trails map in July 2011. Lace up those hiking boots!

Moraga

Moraga Commons Park
1799 Saint Mary’s Road, Moraga
Moraga Commons Park is located in the heart of Moraga.  The park has two separate play structures for younger and older children, a skateboard park, sand volleyball courts and a water feature to cool the kids off during the hot summer days.  There are also picnic tables and a bandshell, which is used in the summertime for the Concert in the Park series.  This park also intersects the Lafayette-Moraga Trail and is a great place to go for a run or a bike-ride.

Rancho Laguna Park
2101 Camino Pablo, Moraga
Rancho Laguna Park has beautiful open space and is coveted by dog owners as a special multi-use park where canine lovers can let their dogs run free.

Orinda

Orinda Community Park
26 Orinda Way, Orinda
The Orinda Community Center Park is centrally located and is directly next to the Orinda Community Center and the Orinda Library.  There is a lovely grassy area in the middle of the two play structures.  There are also four tennis courts, a half-tennis court and a sandbox. 

Orinda Oaks Park
Located between Hall and Ivy Drive, Orinda
Looking for a quiet space to get away from the hustle and bustle of life?  Check out Orinda Oaks Park.  This 12-acre hidden treasure is home to a barbecue area, picnic tables, grass volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and hiking trails.

Wilder Sports Fields
The first two of five new sports fields, known as the Wilder Sports Fields, opened in June 2011.  The sports turf fields will allow for year-round play as well as evening play.

{jcomments on}

There’s something so enticing about Lamorinda’s parks –lush lawns, smooth trails, climbing structures galore, and benches for those in need of a break in the shade.  But, making a break for any of these fabulous park features shouldn’t be done recklessly or carelessly, because letting your guard down means raising your chances of falling victim to crime.

Thankfully, there are some simple steps we can all take to make certain that a day at the park is nothin’ but fun.  

Vigilance Rules with the Wee Ones

“It’s common sense,” summed up Moraga Police Department Chief Robert Priebe.  “If you’ve got children in the park, keep an eye on the kids.  Make sure that they’re not wandering off.”

“Make sure that they’re doing the appropriate things on the apparatus,” he continued.  “If they’re in the water area, make sure that you’re close by and make sure that they’re ok.”

Parents and caregivers should also be mindful of who – and what – is nearby.

“Even though we have ordinances that prohibit dogs from being off leash,” Priebe pointed out, “still, keep an eye on your kids to make sure that dogs aren’t off leash that come up and scare them or have some sort of confrontation.”

Not comfortable with another person at the park?  Alert the police.

“My advice is always that if it’s enough that your instincts are kicking in and telling you something’s not right, call us.  Give us as good of a description as you can.  Give us your name and information and let us go check it out,” Priebe said.

Avoid Injuries

“A big thing for us is if you’ve got a child that’s going to be using the Commons skate park, make sure that they use all the safety equipment.  Helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, that’s all required,” stressed Priebe.  “The kids can actually be cited if they don’t.  That’s certainly not something we want to do.  But, it’s for their safety.”

“And, again, it’s always about common sense.”

Lock It Up

“Don’t leave anything of value in your car,” said Priebe.

It’s the type of advice we’ve all heard – but don’t necessarily heed.

“Especially, you know, with the warmer weather a lot of people are using the trail lots and they’ll park their car and leave their purse or something in the car, a laptop or anything of value, and then go jogging and come back and find that their window has been smashed.”

“We’re living,” he lamented, “in a time where people will do that.”

“We have people smashing windows to steal sunglasses or clothing, if you can believe it.”

Protecting yourself – and your valuables – takes but a few seconds.

“Don’t leave anything of value in site in your car.  Put it in your trunk.  If you don’t want to take your wallet with you while you’re jogging, that’s totally understandable,” Priebe reasoned.  “Just take your keys but put everything else in your trunk.”

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

“The big thing I would like everybody to understand is that it’s a relatively safe community.  We don’t have a lot of violent crime,” said Priebe.

He’s proud and confident in the work of his department – and thinks you should be, too.

“All of our officers have been here for a while.  They’re familiar with the community, they’re a part of the community.  They’re all aware,” he said of the routine patrols of the local parks.

Residents, he reasoned, could be valuable partners in the anti-crime efforts.

“No community is totally secure.  It’s only as secure as you make it.  So it’s up to the people who are out in the public to make sure that they’re doing everything that they can to take away the opportunities for somebody to steal from them.”

Moraga Police Department  329 Rheem Blvd., Moraga.  Main telephone line:  (925) 376-2515.  24 Hour Lamorinda Dispatch:  (925) 284-5010.

Lafayette Police Department  3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette.  Main telephone line:  (925) 283-3680.  24 Hour Lamorinda Dispatch:  (925) 284-5010.

Orinda Police Department  22 Orinda Way, Orinda.  Main telephone line:  (925) 254-6820.  24 Hour Lamorinda Dispatch:  (925) 284-5010.