San Diego officials Thursday unveiled more than $1 million in improvements to Chicano Park in Barrio Logan, including new playgrounds and a skatepark.
Upgrades to the three-acre park under the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge also include a handball court with decorative stamped concrete, 10 pieces of adult fitness equipment and a new drinking fountain. Turf was removed to conserve water and a decomposed granite zone designed for organized workouts took its place.
"Growing from a seed idea at the city, this project creatively brought state resources into Barrio Logan, making it a shining example of San Diego collaboration and our love for our neighborhoods," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. "With these improvements, we will continue to relish Chicano Park as an iconic destination of Mexican-American art and culture."
"Chicano Park exemplifies the broad cultural, political, economic and social history of the community and I am proud to have this region-wide treasure in my council district," Councilman David Alvarez said. "The collaborative effort involved to make these recreational park improvements happen is to be commended."
According to the city, a Chicano heritage theme was incorporated into the equipment design in two play areas, which was inspired by the nearby kiosk where Aztec dancers and Ballet Folklorico groups practice and perform. Sand was removed from the playgrounds and replaced by colorful rubberized surfacing.
The improvements were funded by a $1.08 million grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development under Proposition 1C, a voter-approved $2.9 billion bond measure to aid development in urban areas.
The Urban Corps obtained a total of $112,000 in additional grant funding from Shea Properties, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Tony Hawk Foundation.
