MISSION BAY – Several city park improvement projects for Mission Bay Park are underway, including the installation of a new Fanuel Street Park play structure, which broke ground on May 4.
Other ongoing city projects throughout Mission Bay Park, which are already paid for by the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund, include South De Anza Cove Park, which will be getting new bathrooms, a basketball court, and a playground. Ventura Cove in Mission Bay Park will also be getting a new bathroom, sidewalks, and more parking, plus parking for electric cars.
Fanuel Street Park
The city held a groundbreaking on Monday, kicking off construction of a new play structure in the park at 4000 Fanuel St. Work is expected to take approximately two weeks.
“The project is a collaboration between the city, the San Diego Parks Foundation, and Zoom Recreation, which generously donated the new equipment that they are manufacturing and installing,” said city spokesperson Tyler Becker, who added the project will also involve new safety surfacing and sand play elements.
South De Anza Cove
Construction work here consists of three corresponding Capital Improvements Program projects.
The scope of these projects includes installing new accessible cast-in-place concrete paving, an accessible playground and playground surfacing, a comfort station, lighting, basketball courts, landscaping, irrigation, storm water facilities, trash enclosures, site furnishings, improving the boat launch ramp, and paving the adjacent parking lot, according to Becker.
Work has been divided into three phases. Phases 1 and 2 include the concrete improvements, installation of the comfort station, playground, basketball courts, trash enclosures, lighting, stormwater facilities, landscaping and irrigation, and parking lot repaving.
“The majority of this work is expected to be completed before Memorial Day,” noted Becker.
Any remaining items will be addressed after Labor Day to abide by the California Coastal Commission’s summer construction moratorium, minimizing public impacts during the busy summer months.
“Phase 3 will start after Labor Day, and work will include repaving the parking lot, improving concrete elements, and finalizing landscaping and irrigation,” said Becker, noting all work is expected to be completed by spring 2027. The total estimated cost for all three projects is $14.5 million.
Ventura Cove
The scope of this project includes demolishing the existing restroom building, installing a new prefabricated restroom, accessible sidewalks and parking spaces, site furnishings, landscaping, irrigation, and conduits for future electric vehicle spaces, grading the site, and repaving.
Becker noted that the improvements will be divided into two phases. The first included the parking lot work, which has been completed.
Phase 2 includes the other project elements and will begin after Labor Day to abide by the California Coastal Commission’s summer construction moratorium, minimizing public impacts during the busy summer months.
“Major work is expected to be completed in October and then a standard Plant Establishment Period will begin to allow the new landscaping to grow without being disturbed for several months,” Becker said.
Becker pointed out that all work is expected to be completed by early 2027, adding that the total estimated cost for this project is $4.4 million, funded by the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund.
Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund
Is used for the restoration of wetlands and the wildlife habitat, as well as deferred maintenance projects within the Mission Bay Park Improvement Zone, consistent with the Mission Bay Park Master Plan.
Funding is directly related to the City Charter, requiring 65% of all lease revenues collected from Mission Bay in excess of $20 million (or the remainder of those revenues if less than 65% is available after the allocation to the San Diego Regional Parks Improvement Fund has been made) to be allocated to the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund to solely benefit the Mission Bay Park Improvements Zone.
