The Street Seen: Ozone Park
Ozone Street @ 7th and Longfellow
Ozone Park is a small neighborhood park on the border1 of Santa Monica and Venice. The park has two children's playgrounds and a large grassy area shaded by trees. The park is named for its location on Ozone St.2
The park is the site of a former privately owned (regulated utility) water supply plant. The area, part of the old Lucas Ranch, is subdivided (Fountain Glen No. 2 Tract) in 1905. The City Water Company3 owns Lot 1 of Block 5 which is the location of its Plant #2 with 5 deep wells connected to 1 pump.
In 1916, Santa Monica takes control of its water supply and acquires4 all four private water companies serving Santa Monica. Following the 1916 purchase, Santa Monica are abandons the City Water Company plants.5 City Water Company’s Plant #2 site becomes Ozone Park.
The Santa Monica area near the park (Marine, Navy, Ozone from Highland to Lincoln) is known as the Borderline Neighborhood and is cared for by resident members of the active Borderline Neighborhood Group.
Along the beach of the Kinney & Ryan tract, streets are designated A to Z from north to south. A becomes Azure (now Hollister), G becomes Grand (erased by the Ocean Park Redevelopment Project), I becomes India (erased by the Ocean Park Redevelopment Project), and J becomes Joy (now Ashland). The M, N, and O streets become Marine, Navy, and Ozone. At the turn of the 20th century, the smell (and health benefits) of sea air is believed (incorrectly) to be due to the presence of Ozone. Around the world, there are numerous seaside streets named Ozone. It starts (in Venice) and ends (in Sunset Park) as Ozone Avenue - but from Highland to Lincoln, it’s Ozone Street as specified on the Fountain Glen No. 2 Tract map.
The City Water Company, founded in 1901 as an offshoot of the Ocean Park Improvement Company, supplies water to the beach area of Ocean Park and to all of Venice. The company has 4 plants (2 in Santa Monica, and 2 in Venice). George Merritt Jones, president of the City Water Company, is one of the subdividers (owners) of the Fountain Glen No. 2 Tract.
The 1916 acquisition of the four water companies is financed by a $712,500 voter-approved City bond. The cost of the City Water Company’s two Santa Monica plants is $107,000.
The city buys all four water companies serving Santa Monica so that it will have total control of the city’s water supply. City Water Company Plant #2 has not operated since 1913. It is always the intention of Santa Monica to abandon the City Water Company plants as the water quality is poor and the City now has better sources.