Christine Emerson Reed Park

Lore & Background

Christine Emerson Reed Park sits between 7th street and Lincoln Boulevard and between Wilshire Boulevard and California Avenue. It was renamed in November 1997 to honor Christine Reed, a late mayor and city council member, and was dedicated on June 14, 1998. The park is home to the Miles Memorial Playhouse, tennis courts, the city's tennis office, basketball courts, a playground, and the CREST after school program. It also has three chess tables, with one specifically designated for wheelchair accessibility, though no pieces are provided.

The park is best known for being the source of the name of the band Linkin Park. After the death of Linkin Park's frontman Chester Bennington in 2017, a petition was started by fans to rename the park after him. Instead, the park installed a memorial plaque dedicated to him, which reads: 'When life leaves us blind, love keeps us kind'—a lyric from the song 'The Messenger' off the album A Thousand Suns.

Reader's Guide

Christine Emerson Reed Park serves as a community recreational hub in Santa Monica, offering amenities such as basketball courts, tennis courts with lights, a children's playground, and public restrooms with free wi-fi. Its significance extends beyond local recreation due to its role in popular culture: the park's original name, Lincoln Park, inspired the name of the internationally known rock band Linkin Park. This connection led to fan efforts to rename the park after Chester Bennington following his death in 2017, but the city instead placed a memorial plaque featuring a lyric from the band's song. The park thus represents a unique intersection of municipal history and music fandom, preserving both the legacy of a local politician and the memory of a beloved musician. Its facilities, including the Miles Memorial Playhouse and CREST youth programs, continue to serve the community, while the chess tables and accessible design reflect attention to diverse user needs.

Did You Know?

• The park was originally named Lincoln Park before being renamed in November 1997.
• It has three chess tables, but no pieces are provided; one table is wheelchair accessible.
• A memorial plaque at the park features the lyric 'When life leaves us blind, love keeps us kind' from Linkin Park's song 'The Messenger.'