Carlsbad on Monday broke ground on a nearly 94-acre Veterans Memorial Park. It was timed to coincide with the nation’s 250th birthday.
The moment was years in the making, Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn said.
“This park is so overdue,” he said. “This was a discussion that started 10 years ago, where they say nothing happens quickly in government.”
That will soon change, Blackburn said, because construction is starting.
“I think within two years we're going to have a park to enjoy,” he said.
At 93.7 acres, Veterans Memorial Park will be the city’s largest community park — and the first to honor the nation’s veterans.
“I got kind of emotional on this one,” Councilmember Kevin Shin said.
He represents the district where the park is located and is also a Marine Corps veteran.
“To not just represent this area in District 2, but to represent all veterans in this park at the heart of my district is just something that I can't even measure with words,” Shin said.
The park will include a Veterans Memorial Plaza, the city’s first bike park, a picnic area and a community gathering place
“The park will be a great family-oriented design that will have an inclusive playground to other playgrounds, fitness areas (and) a great set of staircases,” said Nick Stupin, Carlsbad’s parks planning manager.
On top of those staircases will be a sculpture called “The Ring,” which is framed to capture the view of Agua Hedionda Lagoon.
“And then to help frame that view for that ring, we'll have some mounting along either edge of the ring,” Stupin said. “That will really focus everyone's view right out to the lagoon.”
The ring represents the sense of unity from all the armed services branches, he said, and is a place for quiet reflection. Construction for the park is expected to be complete by July 2028.
