Balboa Park is one of San Diego's favorite destinations. But the Park is in financial trouble. It's expensive to maintain and the park's budget is running a deficit. Today, the group Citizens Coordinate for Century three hosted a discussion on the future of the park.
The park is the cultural hub of the city, across 12 acres near downtown San Diego. It is arguably the city's most treasured space. But its upkeep is costly. The city estimates it takes at least $14 million a year to maintain Balboa Park, and that doesn't include fixing historic buildings that need constant upkeep. That budget is running a $100 million deficit. So what's a cash-strapped city to do?
S.D. City CouncilmemberToni Atkins: And that number of $14 million, the amount of money that's been raised which I was surprised by, it seemed awfully low, that $680 something or whatever it was.
That's what these people are trying to figure out. Politicians, city officials, and concerned citizens. They're asking whether the city should look to private donors for money, but that comes with a price. It could mean giving up some control over governance of the park.
Atkins: I don't support full privatization of the park. That means you give absolute control over every aspect of the park to some other entity that may not be as directly accountable to the public. Lots of different models show partnerships, private-public partnerships where government still has a role of governing and being accessible to the public.
Private donors have contributed just under $700,000 to Balboa Park. Parks like this in other major cities, including Central Park in New York receive tens of millions of dollars in donations. Park officials say the public may be reluctant to donate money to the Park when it can't trust how that money will be spent.
Michael Stepner (Balboa Park Commmittee) : If people can be assured the money they're giving will go into the Park and specified purposes, I think there's a comfort level there. Right now, there's not a comfort level because if you give money you don't know where it's going and what its being used for and where it might go.
The debate over how the park should be managed is just beginning. C3 plans to hold public forums to continue the discussion.
