A plan to build a 5,000-square-foot administration building at the Mission Trails Regional Park Equestrian Center was advanced Wednesday by the San Diego City Council's Infrastructure Committee.
The committee approved spending $500,000 for final planning for the structure that would house park ranger offices, a kitchen, showers, conference room and storage space. A shade structure is planned for the exterior.
The building, which still has to be approved by the full City Council, is the final phase of an improvement project that has included parking, a picnic area and restrooms.
The equestrian area is located on the east side of Fortuna Mountain in the 5,800-acre park, near Mast Boulevard and state Route 52. It includes four 12-foot-by-12-foot horse corrals for public use, trails and room for 47 cars and 15 vehicles with horse trailers.
Councilman Mark Sherman, who represents the area, said the project is needed because the Visitors Center — on the opposite side of the park — has reached capacity.
"The equestrian center is getting used more and more," Sherman said. "You go by there on a weekend and the parking lots are packed and people are all over the place — and there's no shade and no real facilities, per se, for the people out there."
The estimated time of completion is not set, and depends on when actual construction is funded.
