San Diego County to receive $25M for local parks

California will receive more than $500 million in grant funding for new parks and environmental conservation, officials announced Wednesday, and some $25 million will go toward disadvantaged communities throughout San Diego County.

At a news conference in San Ysidro, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other state and local leaders met with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to announce the initiative, which aims to expand outdoor opportunities in underserved communities.

“If the (coronavirus) pandemic taught us anything, it’s that the need to have readily accessible and ample green spaces for the community is critical. It’s essential,” Gloria said. “Because everyone, no matter their background, their identity, their ability or their address, deserves easy access to high quality parks.”

According to California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, about 6 in 10 Californians live in what are known as park-poor communities, those with limited access to parks, open spaces and recreational opportunities.

“That’s a challenge that we are confronting head on,” Crowfoot said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initiative, known as Outdoors For All, will allocate $548.3 million in grant funding for 112 community parks projects in more than 30 counties throughout California, Crowfoot said.

In addition to building 50 brand new parks, the funding will expand or renovate another 62 park systems, prioritizing those in communities that lack a current park system or have parks in dire need of restoration.

Haaland said about 80 percent of Americans live in or near cities, and urban green spaces allow residents access to nature and outdoor recreation, while also boosting local economies.

“These critical areas within metropolitan communities are gateways to improve access to nature and engage new audiences in outdoor recreation and conservation,” Haaland said, “particularly in communities of color and other underserved communities that historically haven’t had equitable access to nature.”

The news conference was held at San Ysidro’s Beyer Park, which is one of six parks in San Diego County slated to receive grant funding from the statewide initiative.

Beyer Park, which is empty land, will receive some $8.5 million, and the project will take between three and five years to complete.

“This is an opportunity to invest in a community that has been underrepresented and underinvested in for decades,” Gloria said. “And this is an opportunity for us to build something that future generations of San Diegans will certainly cherish and enjoy.”

San Diego Councilmember Vivian Moreno, who represents District 8, has advocated for the Beyer Park project since she was elected in 2018.

The site was promised two decades ago, and Moreno said it’s time that promise was fulfilled.

“Historically, San Ysidro has been one of the most disadvantaged communities in San Diego,” Moreno said in a statement Wednesday. “The residents suffer from a lack of open spaces and parks in San Ysidro and there is a dire need for basic amenities other communities have. Beyer Park was promised to the community 20 years ago and today we are one step closer to providing the community with much needed outdoor recreation space.”

Gloria also used Wednesday’s press conference to announce his administration’s initiative, which will, among other things, prioritize equitable investments in parks, form new citywide park systems and expand existing parks, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

It also aims to preserve San Diego’s unique habitats and biodiversity.

The other parks in the county that are getting funding are: El Toyon Park in National City, $5.6 million; Fallbrook Local Park, $1.2 million; Avenida De Benito Juarez Park in Vista, $1.1 million; the Patty Davis Park in Chula Vista, $1.9 million; and the Eucalyptus Park in Chula Vista, $7.1 million.