The Silver Lake Reservoir and its smaller companion, the Ivanhoe Reservoir, sit in a basin at the centre of the neighbourhood that takes its name. Built in 1907 and named for water-board commissioner Herman Silver, the reservoirs were taken offline as drinking-water storage in 2017 and have since become the neighbourhood's defining green space.
A 2.2-mile paved path loops the perimeter, busy with joggers, dog-walkers, and parents pushing strollers, especially at golden hour when the surrounding hills light up. There is a meadow, a recreation centre, and a dog park at the north end. The streets climbing the slopes above hold a remarkable concentration of midcentury modern houses by Neutra, Schindler, and their contemporaries.