Lake Balboa received official recognition by the City of Los Angeles in January 2006, having important implications for the official existence of many other Los Angeles communities that were created prior to January 2006. These communities include Arleta, Porter Ranch, North Hills, Valley Glen, Valley Village, West Hills and Winnetka.
The Lake Balboa Park is an 80 acres recreation facility in the Sepulveda Flood Basin located in Lake Balboa. The centerpiece of the park is the 27 acres Lake Balboa, filled with water from the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. The park has barbecue pits, a bicycle path, a cascade, a children's play area, a fly fishing area, a 1.3 mile bike path, a lake for fishing, a launch ramp, pedal boats, picnic pavilions and picnic tables, private boating, a remote control boating cove, and toilet facilities. The parks and recreation department dedicated a universally accessible playground, a playground designed for handicapped and non-handicapped children as well as a skateboarding park nearby on Victory Blvd. next to the Generation One (Multipurpose Senior Center).
The park also has the Apollo 3 Flight Field for remote control planes, an archery range, barbecue pits, an unlighted baseball diamond, a children's play area, cricket fields, picnic tables, toilets, and a wildlife reservation area. In addition two pocket parks are located in Lake Balboa, one has barbecue pits, a lighted baseball diamond, unlighted outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts, a children's play area, and picnic tables. My personal favorite is roller blading around the entire park.