Irvine is a very large master planned city comprised of many “Villages”, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the 66 square miles (170 km2) city had a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census; in 2015 the city’s population was 250,384. The city’s mission statement is “to create and maintain a community where people can live, work, and play in an environment that is safe, vibrant, and aesthetically pleasing”. A variety of tract homes, community parks and recreational facilities are located primarily on flat land on former orange groves and agricultural fields throughout this city. Many of the windrows, tall lines of Eucalyptus trees that protected the groves, still stand today in the eastern Villages. Golfers can enjoy the Rancho San Joaquin or Strawberry Farms courses and tennis players can join the Racquet Club of Irvine that has 30 courts, including six clay ones. The spectacular Irvine Spectrum entertainment complex featuring movie theatres, extensive shopping and many restaurants is a hub of activity in South OC. Irvine is renowned for its great schools and two colleges, UCI and Irvine Valley College.
