Friends of Balboa Park celebrated Wednesday their restoration of the historic gatehouses that welcome visitors into the park on the west side of the Cabrillo Bridge.
“The gatehouses have been restored to their original splendor from the 1915 Exposition, thanks to Friends donors, volunteers and local preservation experts,” said John Bolthouse, executive director of the nonprofit dedicated to preserving the park. “Beautiful structures now welcome visitors to the west end of the Park, just as was intended more than a century ago.”
The structures were originally installed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition as the ticket booths. Over the decades they fell into disrepair, until Friends of Balboa Park accepted them as a restoration project in 2014.
The work took 18 months, cost $140,000 and was assisted by numerous volunteers.
“Friends works hand-in-hand with local volunteers and the philanthropic community to assist our valued partners at the City of San Diego’s Park & Recreation Department in ensuring Balboa Park is maintained for future generations,” said Bolthouse. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work so closely with the city to help maintain the ‘Jewel of San Diego’ for people from around the world to enjoy.”
Founded in 1999, Friends of Balboa Park is a nonprofit organization that brings philanthropists, community leaders and concerned San Diegans together to help preserve historic Balboa Park for future generations.
