In 1893, the YMCA Ocean Park Company builds a bathhouse and an auditorium near the beach on 5-acres donated by Kinney & Ryan.
In 1893, the Los Angeles YMCA forms the YMCA Ocean Park Company1 to establish a summer meeting place. The land is donated by Kinney and Ryan.2 ,3 In consideration of the donation, the YMCA agrees to build an auditorium, which is expected to be the scene of many religious conventions and assemblies,4 and a bathhouse.5
In 1893, Los Angeles architects Aiken & Benton prepare plans for the 120-ft x 106-ft auditorium building on the 300-ft x 850-ft site. The auditorium is built in 1894. An adjacent grove of Eucalyptus trees6 are also at the disposition of the YMCA.
In May 1895, the Santa Fe depot name is changed from South Santa Monica to Ocean Park. In June 1895, the annual convention of the Southern California Baptists is held in the YMCA auditorium.
In 1897, the auditorium burns - a complete loss as there is no water to save the building. In 1899, the YMCA Ocean Park Company subdivides the property as the Ocean Park Tract.
YMCA Ocean Park Company incorporates in 1893 with capital of $10,000. Charles E. Day is president of the YMCA Ocean Park Company.
Several sources have Frederick Hastings Rindge (1857 – 1905) donating the property. This is not correct. In 1893, Rindge is a director of the YMCA Ocean Park Company. He is one of the founders of the Santa Monica YMCA in 1901 - 1902. Rindge assumes the presidency of the Los Angeles YMCA only in January 1905, shortly before his unexpected death in August 1905.
Kinney hopes that the YMCA camp will attract people to his beach resort.
In August 1893, at a meeting of the Los Angeles District conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, there is a heated debate over an offer by Santa Fe Rail of a summer camp meeting place in Ocean Park. C.E. Day of the YMCA Ocean Park Company, who is at the meeting, offers the Methodists the use of the Ocean Park YMCA in place of the Santa Fe proposal. The Long Beach Methodists, where the Methodist summer camp is currently held, contend that Santa Monica is a “dumping ground of un-Christianized humanity.”
There is a formal opening of the bathhouse on Sept 1, 1893.