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The City currently comprises a land area of almost 21 square miles with about 1.5 miles of Pacific Ocean beach. Not only is Torrance a leading Los Angeles area industrial center, but it is the commercial hub for the greater South Bay community and serves a daytime population of about 400,000 people. Dedication to maintaining a sense of community and a high quality of life is one of the greatest aspects of Torrance. From the classic architecture of Downtown Torrance, to the art displayed in the El Camino College Art Gallery and the Joslyn Fine Arts Gallery, to the rolling green parks and breath-taking coastline, Torrance is a mosaic of the history, beauty, and vitality of the city and of the people that live here.  Downtown Torrance is the area where you can see the remains of what the city was like at its beginnings. The shops, graceful old homes, and quiet streets are reminiscent of a less hectic time, and the city has worked very hard to retain this peaceful atmosphere. New businesses who wish to open a shop here must first file for a Special Development Permit, which is granted if the business will be compatible with the existing businesses. A couple of the classic architectural sights to see here are the Torrance Depot, which once served as a train station for the old Pacific Electric Railroad Line's Red Car, but has since been transformed into a unique restaurant, and the Torrance Bridge, which provides a beautiful, ivy-covered entrance to the downtown area. Also, annual events such as the Friendship Festival and the Wine Tasting and Gourmet Food Festival and Concert serve to raise money for charity and draw community involvement.  One quality that makes Torrance so enjoyable is the abundance of parks and recreational activities. Containing 24 parks in sum, the city is able to provide ample space for residents to enjoy the outdoors. Most of the parks are equipped with athletic facilities, barbecue pits and picnic tables, and play equipment, which allows children and parents alike to enjoy a number of sporting activities or relax in the grass and have an outdoor meal. Some of the parks also contain meeting rooms which hold many of the city's recreational classes, such as arts and crafts projects for children. The availability of these activities contribute to the warmth of the community and make for a family-oriented environment. Torrance is also a city that embraces cultural diversity. This is demonstrated through the variety of ethnic restaurants present and the numerous cultural events that take place here. A few examples of these events are the annual Oktoberfest, which takes place at a small German shopping center called Alpine Village, the Grecian Festival by the Sea, and the Festa Italia. The assortment of restaurants here represent virtually every kind of cuisine, ranging from Italian to Hawaiian to Peruvian. One example of how Torrance residents have come together in the name of communication and understanding is the Sister City agreement between Torrance and Kashiwa, Japan. This affiliation began on February 20, 1973, and has flourished into a quarter-century long friendship. It has also sparked a great many programs which contribute to Torrance residents' understanding of Japanese culture, and Kashiwa residents' understanding of ours.  These programs have allowed for students and delegates to visit the sister city and take part in learning about the culture first hand. They have also established an exchange of information between schools and libraries including trading resource materials between libraries and a pen pal program for the schools which allows the children to communicate with each other. These aspects combine to give Torrance a high quality of life and provide a welcoming community for all, whether you are living here or merely here for a short visit.
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