City of Downey

GENERAL INFORMATION

Downey City Hall Map it!
11111 Brookshire Avenue
Downey, CA 90241
(562) 904-7246

Location and Climate
Situated 12 miles southeast of the Los Angeles Civic Center, Downey is only five miles from Orange County, and about 10 miles from the beautiful Pacific coastline. Conveniently located near several major freeways, the city is an ideal home base from which to take advantage of the business resources and hundreds of cultural and recreational activities in Southern California.

The average annual minimum temperature is 46 degrees, and the average annual maximum is 83 degrees. Downey is 117 feet above sea level; prevailing winds are from the West at 6 mph. Average annual rainfall is 14.85 inches.

The Parks
All parks and many recreation facilities are operated by the city. Almost 100 acres are devoted to 11 area parks, including fishing lakes at Wilderness Park, the Independence Park Tennis Center, and fitness courses at Furman and Apollo parks. For golf enthusiasts, there is the 18-hole Rio Hondo Golf Course, or the Los Amigos Golf Course, the latter run by Los Angeles County.

The Arts
To find a bit of culture, you needn't look far: The 750-seat Downey Theatre, also operated by the city, presents productions by the Downey Civic Light Opera Association and the Downey Symphonic Society, as well as the annual Celebrity Concert Series and Armchair Travel Adventures. Or you can browse through the Downey History Center, the Downey Art Museum, or the Wilderness Park Nature Museum.

The Businesses
Downey is home for thousands of businesses and services. The city's largest employer, with about 2,500 employees, is Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. Rancho Los Amigos is a world renown spinal injury treatment center. Originally, Rockwell International aerospace was the major employer put Downey on the map in the 60's, earning us the name "Home of Apollo."

The People
Caring and civic-minded--those are two words that describe Downey's residents. There are more than 120 civic and service groups that work together to make Downey a better place to live.

Population and Housing
With a population of 110,000 in an area of 12.5 square miles, Downey offers a wide range of housing opportunities. City building records for 1997 show that 60 percent of the total dwelling units are single-family homes. Another 40 percent are apartments and condominiums.

Library
Downey City Library
11121 Brookshire Avenue
Downey, (562) 923-3256

Located within the Civic Center complex, the Downey City Library in the spring of 1984 opened its newly enlarged 27,500-square-foot facility. Services include adult and children's sections and audiovisual, circulation and technical departments.

Chamber of Commerce
Downey Chamber of Commerce
11131 Brookshire Avenue
Downey, CA 90241
(562) 923-2191

Education
Downey Unified School District
11627 S. Brookshire Avenue
Downey, CA 90241
(562) 923-6711
www.dusd.net

Adult Education
For adults, there is the Downey Adult School, Cerritos College in nearby Norwalk, and more than a half dozen colleges or universities within easy driving distance.

Downey Adult School
11042 Brookshire Avenue, (562) 869-7396

Cerritos College
11110 E. Alondra Blvd., Norwalk
869-2451

Rio Hondo College
3600 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 692-0921

Emergency Numbers 9-1-1
This three-digit number, nine-one-one, may be instrumental in saving your life--or saving someone else's. The 911 system covers all of Los Angeles County and is to be used for any police, fire, or medical EMERGENCY ONLY. Just dial 9-1-1 and state the nature of the emergency. The telephone number from which you are calling, whether published or unlisted, will be automatically displayed on a viewing screen located at the public safety answering point. This enables the emergency agency to quickly locate the caller if the call is disrupted by the crisis, and to immediately dispatch the necessary aid.

Downey Fire Department
In emergencies dial 911.
Business Office, 11111 Brookshire Ave., Downey.

Downey Police Department
In emergencies dial 911.
Business Office, 10911 S. Brookshire Ave., Downey.

Southeast Area Animal Control Authority (SEAACA)
(562) 803-3301

CHP/California Highway Patrol
869-0503

Crisis Intervention Agency
Ask the Operator for ZENITH 2-1234

Hospitals
Downey Regional Medical Center
11500 S. Brookshire Ave.
Downey, CA
(562) 806-5000.

Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center
7601 E. Imperial Hwy.
Downey, (562) 922-7111.

(A County facility for the treatment and rehabilitation of crippling, chronic diseases.)
Other health facilities include 11 convalescent hospitals and nursing homes, and numerous retirement facilities.

Judicial Courts
Downey Court
7500 E. Imperial Hwy.
Downey,CA
(562) 940-8611.

Norwalk Court
12720 Norwalk Blvd.
Norwalk, CA
(562) 868-9711

U.S. Postal Service
Downey Main Post Office
8111 S. Firestone Blvd., Downey, (562) 622-5745

North Downey Stn.
10345 S. Lakewood Blvd., (562) 861-2917

South Downey Stn.
7911 E. Imperial Hwy., (562) 861-3035

Utilities/Service

Verizon Telephone (800) 483-1000
Time Warner Cable (888) 892-2253
Southern California Edison Co. (800) 655-4555
Southern California Gas Co. (800) 427-2200
Water Billing--City of Downey, (562) 904-7246