Courtesy of Sandy Lippe:
The San Diego Park and Recreation Board met in Balboa Park on May 18 to vote on agenda items that included Standley Middle School and Spreckels Elementary School joint use and aquatic facility general development plan amendment.
The Parks and Recreation Board voted unanimously to approve the projects. At the meeting Dr. John Lee Evans, Board of Education member, outlined the issues under consideration.
The joint use agreement between the San Diego Unified School District and the City of San Diego was adopted in 1975 and has worked smoothly with fields being shared by the schools and the community.
At one time, Standley students took swimming at Swanson Memorial pool. The new initiative put forth by Mayor Faulconer and San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Superintendent Cindy Marten is called Play All Day Parks program.
The SDUSD schools can help fund the capital projects and the City can underwrite the operational costs. Both the schools and community benefit. At a University City public input meeting in 2014, over 100 people attended to share ideas on the proposals: the pavilion, the pool, and jogging path around the perimeter of the park.
The stage pavilion will be ideal for student events and our summer concerts and big events like the UC Celebration. The new pool will provide a much needed site for high school water polo and swim teams, as well as benefit the community.
It is exciting to be on the cutting edge of some wonderful projects at Standley Park, knowing added green space at Spreckels and energy efficient methods will drive the design of the pool.
While Standley Park Recreation Council overwhelmingly supports this project, the unanimous votes by San Diego Park and Recreation Board were music to the ears of those who have been working on the project since 2014.
Plenty of work lies ahead, but University City is on the right path after that unanimous support.
Editor’s note: Aerial plan concept attached is from 2015. “Imagine UC 2020” will be sharing a table with UCCA at the 4th of July Celebration at Standley Park. Stop by to chat with Greg Zinser and John Lee Evans for further information.
⇒ For the most current information, visit https://www.universitycitynews.org/imagine-uc-2020-sdusd-school-facilities-project/
For more information about the 4th of July Celebration, visit http://uccelebration.com/
