San Diego is moving forward with capital-improvement projects on 19 parks Tuesday, following the San Diego City Council approving about $15.9 million to the cause.
The parks will receive funding as part of Mayor Todd Gloria's Parks for All of Us initiative following the council's approval Monday of Citywide Park Development Impact Fee allocations, including land acquisition, improvements to existing parks and new construction.
"All San Diegans deserve easy access to high-quality parks," Gloria said following the council vote Monday night. "These funding allocations show how my Parks for All of Us initiative is working to create new and better parks in the neighborhoods that need them the most."
Along with the nearly $15.9 million to the 19 park projects, the council awarded an additional $363,000 in community-based DIF funds.
The citywide Park DIF program was established in August 2021, as part of an update to the Parks Master Plan. Previously, DIF funds could be spent only in the communities where the fees were collected — allowing parks in wealthier areas to receive more funding.
According to the city, many of the neighborhood park projects are located in a "park-deficient community" and in a Community of Concern.
Projects include:
- Beyer Community Park in San Ysidro;
- Carmel Mountain Ranch Pool Facility ADA in Carmel Mountain Ranch;
- Chollas Creek Oak Park Branch Trail in Oak Park;
- Chollas Triangle Neighborhood Park in City Heights;
- Clay Neighborhood Park improvements in Rolando;
- Ellen Browning Scripps Park Expanded Walkway in La Jolla;
- Golf Course Drive improvements in Balboa Park/Golden Hill;
- Hard court improvements across four communities in Council Districts 4 and 8, such as Emerald Hills, Southcrest, Skyline and Otay Mesa;
- Howard Lane Park in San Ysidro;
- John Baca Park in Linda Vista;
- Land acquisition for parks across six communities in Council Districts 4, 7, 8 and 9;
- Marcy Neighborhood Park improvements in University City
- Memorial Community Park field and security lighting in Logan Heights;
- Montezuma Neighborhood Park in College Area;
- North Chollas Community Park improvements in Oak Park;
- Rancho Bernardo Dog Park in Rancho Bernardo;
- Robb Field Park GDP Amendment in Ocean Beach;
- Southcrest Community Park Lighting in Southcrest; and
- Sunshine Berardini Park GDP in City Heights.
"It's important that all San Diegans have equitable access to park and recreation resources," said Andy Field, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.
The projects approved for funding as part of Monday's action are in various phases of the design, engineering, bid or planning processes.
As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget process, council members included 46 park projects in their council priority memos. The Parks and Recreation Department currently has 187 existing capital improvement projects in its inventory with a funding need of over $500 million, a statement from Gloria's office reads.
