Lake Forest, California

==Parks and recreation==
Lake Forest Sports Park and Recreation Center opened on November 1, 2014, across the street from Saddleback Church.<ref name="ocregister20141024">{{cite web |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/park-639435-center-recreation.html |title=Grand opening slated for Lake Forest Sports Park |author=Sarah de Crescenzo |work=The [[Orange County Register]] |date=October 24, 2014 |access-date=November 4, 2014}}</ref> The 86.2-acre Sports Park, built with fees collected from developers for a "study" that led to the rezoning of surrounding areas, is one of the largest sports parks in Orange County.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lakeforestca.gov/depts/ds/planning/projects/sports_park/default.asp |title=Sports Park and Recreation Center |work=City of Lake Forest, California |access-date=November 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104232804/http://www.lakeforestca.gov/depts/ds/planning/projects/sports_park/default.asp |archive-date=November 4, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rjmdesigngroup.com/projects/sports_facilities/lake_forest_sports1.html |title=Lake Forest Sports Park |work=RJM Design Group |access-date=November 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104192144/http://www.rjmdesigngroup.com/projects/sports_facilities/lake_forest_sports1.html |archive-date=November 4, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Recreation Center houses classrooms/activities rooms and a gymnasium, hosting many education and recreation programs that have previously been hosted at the rented City Hall facility.<ref name="ocregister20141024"/><!-- A city-owned Civic Center is expected to open in 2018 at a nearby location. -->

Lake Forest is also home to two county parks. [[Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park]] in the eastern part of the city was the site of an infamous [[cougar|mountain lion]] mauling in 2004 that captured the attention of the West Coast news media.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/national/main592433.shtml|title=Mountain Lion Killed After Attack|website=[[CBS News]] |access-date=July 16, 2016}}</ref>

[[Jose Serrano Adobe|Heritage Hill Historical Park and Museum]] is home to some of the oldest buildings in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], including the [[Jose Serrano Adobe]], an original adobe home and settlement built in 1863; El Toro's first school, the old El Toro School House; El Toro's first church, St. Georges Episcopal Church; and the Harvey Bennett Ranch House, built in 1908, from which the Bennett Ranch development in Lake Forest derives its name. The Bennetts raised oranges for Sunkist, and owned the State-deeded water rights to [[Aliso Creek (Orange County)|Aliso Creek]], which was very rare in California, and instrumental to their success. It is also the location of "Ritchie's Park," per signs along [[Aliso Creek (Orange County)|Aliso Creek]], which was a naturally set childhood playground along the stream, where all of the Bennett children and grandchildren played. Frequently, the children found Indian artifacts along the banks, and met relatives of the Indians whose ancestors had actually lived there, including "Al" and "Cy" who were older Indians working for the Bennetts. The park is named for Richard Bennett Harvey, the grandchild whom Harvey and Frances Bennett raised, their seventh and last "child" who grew up on the ranch in youth, and lived there later in early marriage, working on the ranch until it was sold. The Bennett's son, Richard Beach Bennett, was educated in Animal Husbandry at [[California Polytechnic State University, Pomona]], and grew replacement trees for farmers, before starting his own ranch in Balcom Canyon in Ventura County.

Lake Forest also has [[etnies Skatepark]], which is the largest public [[skatepark]] with over {{convert|40000|sqft|m2}}.<ref name="Aerial">{{cite web
|url=http://www.sitedesigngroup.com/blog/etnies-skatepark-of-lake-forest-aerial/
|title=Etnies Skatepark Of Lake Forest Aerial
|access-date=August 21, 2010}}</ref>