Recreation

To become an Approved Community Organization in the City of Cerritos, a club or group must submit a completed Community Organization Application form, together with a current group membership roster that includes names, addresses and phone numbers of all members, a current copy of the club’s bylaws and proof of registration as a not-for-profit corporation.

Additionally, active sports groups, such as soccer leagues, youth sports organizations, etc., wishing to become an Approved Community Organization to use City fields and sports facilities, must also submit an original certificate of insurance in the amount of $1 million, naming the city of Cerritos, its officers, employees, agents and volunteers as Additionally Insured.

Eligibility is determined by residency requirements and other factors, based upon the information that you provide. To obtain a Cerritos Community Organization Application form, or for additional information, please contact the Recreation Services Division at (562) 916-1254 or visit the Groups, Clubs and Sports Organizations page. Please submit your completed application form and supporting documents to the City of Cerritos, Recreation Services Division, P.O. Box 3130, Cerritos, CA 90703.

In order to register for classes offered by the Recreation Services Division or to reserve a City facility, you must be entered in the City’s class registration/facility reservations database. Patrons may visit any community center, the Swim and Fitness Center, the Cerritos Iron-Wood Nine Golf Course, the Cerritos Sports Complex, or the Cerritos Library and bring a valid California driver’s license with current Cerritos address and a utility bill that has been postmarked within the last 60 days. If you wish to enter your children under the age of 18 in the database, you must provide a birth certificate along with the parent/guardian residency verification listed above.

Picnic shelters and meeting rooms are available at all three City community centers. Picnic shelters vary in capacity, from 25 to 350 people. They are shaded by covers and have picnic tables and barbecues. Some shelters are equipped with electricity. Residents of Cerritos and Approved Community Organizations may reserve picnic shelters up to three months in advance. To reserve a shelter, residents must be entered in the City's class registration/facility reservations database. You may stop by any community center, with a current photo I.D. to make your reservation. Hourly rental fees and refundable deposits will be required depending upon the requesting group and type of event. For information about fees, or to find out about the availability for a particular date, please call Cerritos Park East at (562) 407-2611, Heritage Park at (562) 916-8570 or Liberty Park at (562) 916-8565.

Cerritos offers a wide variety of meeting rooms and banquet facilities for your private party or Approved Community Organization event. At Heritage Park, rooms are available which hold up to 30 people. Liberty Park has rooms for up to 96 people. The Cerritos Park East California Room is a beautiful meeting or banquet facility suitable for any important occasion. The room can seat up to 600 people or be divided into more intimate rooms for 100 people. Some of the refinements include a stage, kitchen and full multi-media capabilities. To reserve rooms, residents and Approved Community Organizations should stop in at any community center.

Recreation Services programs and activities are published quarterly in a brochure inserted within the Cerritos News distributed every February, May, August and November to all Cerritos residents. Registration information can be found on the last page of the brochure. You may register on-line and in-person (walk-in). Refer to the brochure for specific instructions, as registration dates and times may vary. To register in person, you may go directly to any community center, the Swim and Fitness Center, the Cerritos Iron-Wood Nine Golf Course, the Cerritos Sports Complex, or the Cerritos Public Library. You must be entered in the City’s class registration/facility reservations database prior to registering for classes and activities. Please realize that a majority of classes fill up during the on-line registration process.

Specific activities such as sports leagues and various special events have specialized registration procedures which are also listed in the brochure.

To speak with a staff member regarding any activity or program, please call the Recreation Services Division office at (562) 916-1254 or any recreation facility.

Don Knabe Community Regional Park is owned, operated and maintained by the County of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department, with the exception of the Cerritos Sports Complex athletic fields located on the southern portion of the park and the Skate Park located near the tennis courts.

The remaining 56 acres of the County Park are operated by the County of Los Angeles. This includes the aquatic center, gymnasium/meeting room, picnic areas, lake, tennis courts and open space areas. To speak with a County representative regarding the park, please call the park office at (562) 924-5144.

The Cerritos Sports Complex area is leased from the County by the City of Cerritos, and the Recreation Services Division operates the fields and skate park. For information about utilizing the Cerritos Sports Complex, please call (562) 916-8590.

The classes conducted by the Recreation Services Division are intended for residents who live in Cerritos. Cerritos residents enjoy priority registration using the on-line and walk-in registration processes detailed in the quarterly Community Services Program.

Following the period set aside for resident-only registration, individuals who live outside the City may register for activities if openings exist. There is typically a slightly higher fee for non-City residents and some activities will be offered to residents only. Detailed registration procedures can be found in the quarterly brochure.

The City has facilities such as banquet and meeting rooms, picnic shelters and athletic fields which were constructed for use by City residents and Approved Community Organizations. City residents may reserve all indoor facilities at any community center up to 12 months in advance. Approved Community Organizations may reserve one annual six-hour special events at any of the community centers up to 13 months in advance. Cerritos residents may reserve picnic shelters on a first-come, first-served basis at one of the three community centers up to three months in advance of the desired date.

Individuals who do not live within the City are limited to reserving indoor rooms only at one of the three community centers. Reservations for indoor rooms by non-Cerritos residents can be made up to six months or less in advance of the desired date. Non-Cerritos residents may not reserve picnic shelter facilities.