Lily Pond

Lily Pond. City of Beverly Hills. Upon arriving at the Beverly Hills trolley station, which was located just to the south of this site across Santa Monica Boulevard, residents and visitors would be greeted by this early Beverly Hills landmark. Originally installed in 1907, the lily pond was one of the first major features of Beverly Gardens Park which became one of the City's earliest public parks when it was formally completed in 1911. The iconic Beverly Hills sign was first introduced to the site in 1912 and today is one of the most photographed landmarks in the world. The historically accurate replica that exists today was reintroduced to the site in 2006 and was a gift to the City by the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills and the generosity of resident Robert S. Anderson. , This linear park, which spans 22 city blocks and approximately 1.9 miles, also contains many other notable installations including the Electric Fountain, Doheny Fountain and distinctive Rose and Cactus Gardens amongst other prominent and unique features. In the late 1990's, the City introduced and continues to invest in and maintain an installation of world-class sculptures and public art. The park also serves to host numerous annual community festivals and celebrations and is visited by tens of thousands of national and international tourists each year. , By the mid 1970's, costs to repair and maintain the pond had become excessive and a decision was made to remove the pond feature and fillit in the void with soil and landscaping treatments. The "pond" remained in this condition and served as additional park land for public use and enjoyment until its reintroduction and reconstruction in 2013/14. This effort was made possible by the generosity of the entire Beverly Hills community including numerous residents who contributed directly to the construction of this facility. Former resident and local businessman Steven C. Gordon brought forward the idea of a citizen-driven initiative to restore the pond and Beverly Gardens Park to much of its historical splendor. He founded the Friends of Beverly Gardens Park and tirelessly raised funds to bring this and subsequent park restoration efforts to fruition., The City of Beverly Hills is thankful for and appreciative of its many residents, past, present and future, who give of their time and resources to help restore and preserve its rich history and cultural assets.