Mira Mesa Living

By: Steve Nicoles

San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio announced Thursday his plans to expand and renovate Mira Mesa Community Park through a partnership between the city and private businesses.

“A strong parks and recreation department is a cornerstone for a great city,” said DeMaio.

The $25 million expansion includes a state-of-the-art aquatic center, a skate park, eight multi-purpose ball fields, a jogging path, new restrooms and concession facilities and new traffic calming measures along New Salem Road.

DeMaio said the project will come in three phases, with construction on the first phase possibly starting in a year. For the park to become reality the city and private businesses need to negotiate details for the cost and management of the area. All money for construction is already coming from developments in Mira Mesa by two businesses: Vulcan and Garden Communities (the company building the apartments along I-15 and Mira Mesa Blvd).

“By forging partnerships we stretch the dollars at City Hall,” said DeMaio.

Maintaining parts of the park could become the responsibility of the non-profit groups utilizing them the most. For example, DeMaio suggested the YMCA could operate the aquatic center and Mira Mesa Little League could maintain the new baseball fields. Mira Mesa West Little League President Marybeth MacNaughton said her organization already maintains the fields on the east side of New Salem.

“We are really looking forward to the renovations,” said MacNaughton.

Mira Mesa Community Park was built in 1977 when fewer than 40,000 people called Mira Mesa home. More than 30 years later and the population has doubled, but the park has not grown with the neighborhood.