By Geoff Page
The Rag decided to see how the $3.1 million – at last look – Cañon Street Pocket Park was coming along. As with everything else associated with this ridiculous use of the taxpayer’s money, the nearly finished product was jaw-dropping. And not in a good way.
For those unfamiliar with this pocket park, it is located along the east side of Cañon St. shortly before the speed limit reduces going south. The easiest way to locate the park is to look at the northwest terminus of Avenida de Portugal. The park runs from that street to Cañon St.
This is a 0.67 of an acre piece of land. That is 29,185 square feet or about six normal sized, 5000 square foot lots. The picture below encompasses the whole park. About two-thirds of the property, if not more, is taken up with concrete, decorative stone, a large circular play area, and landscaping. And a very small section of actual grass.
Drone Footage
See this video of the park by Cody Page, Geoff’s son.
The entrance to the park is from Avenida de Portugal. There is no parking for visitors. The surrounding residential neighborhood will carry the parking burden.
Upon entering the park, the ground is paved with decorative interlocking stone. Lots of it. Just the kind of thing mothers worry about their little ones making a face plant on.
Decorative stone
There is a large circular area, still under construction, that will contain playground structures.
Play Area
Then there is the ridiculously wide sidewalk to nowhere.
Sidewalk to Nowhere
The sidewalk ends at Cañon where there is a locked gate. There is no sidewalk on Cañon. The purpose of this wide expanse of concrete, instead of nice green grass, is an absolute mystery.
A bunch more real estate is taken up by landscaping that children will not be able to play in.
No Play Landscape
Notice the nice large rocks moms will probably also worry about.
And then there’s the fancy bike racks.
Fancy Bike Racks
Art or Signage?
I have no idea what this is. I do know a big chunk money went to art but the plans show that as planned for a spot north of the grass area down along the 9-foot wide sidewalk.
This is the park we spent at least $3.1 million on, for the children. It’s apparent where all that money went. See designers do not make a lot of money designing grass and contractors do not make much money creating a grassy area. Like where children like to play. Soft, safe, natural green grass.
Talk about missing the target by a wide margin.
One reason is that this is not dedicated parkland under the city Charter. The city has stopped dedications because the Charter is very specific about many things concerning parks. They have a new name, but I have forgotten what it is, a name so it can be both a park and not a park.
We just added drone footage of the park. See this : https://youtu.be/aVJhxonTbtY
Here’s the Google terrain view, prior to development: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SvLdwoho1wg3JMpv6
I think the construction is OK. It’s just a bit of open space for the community. Seems good. The wide, curving walkway would be a great place for kids to skate, skateboard, ride bikes and trikes. (Kids can faceplant anywhere, even in their own driveway!) Or it would be a good place to set up tables for a community BBQ or other kind of party, maybe with a band. It seems pretty nice to me. People can use the “I have no idea what this is” thing to post signage (maybe that’s the plan), notices, art, etc. It’s obviously not completed yet, judging by the piping on the ground. Let’s have more positivity in the world, not constant griping!
Well, Honesty, maybe you could start that with using your real name.
“The wide, curving walkway would be a great place for kids to skate, skateboard, ride bikes and trikes.”
That sidewalk goes steeply downhill to dead end fence. On 0.67 of an acre. Hardly ideal for any of that.
Positivity? How about using the original budget of $840k to make a nice grassy spot with some benches and tables. Maybe you’ll understand more when I finish my piece on the actual budget specifics. Such as what we paid consultants and the mismanaged city to manage the work.
Geoff, Why on earth do you want to know my name? What would you do with it?
Whenever I see what I consider to be a booster type comment, I like to know who I’m dealing with.
That’s kinda weird. Not boosting, just opining. You’re dealing with me, whatever my name is.
Weird.
Nothing weird about it at all. You also said ” it would be a good place to set up tables for a community BBQ or other kind of party, maybe with a band.” There is no parking and there are no bathrooms. That kind of activity is unlikely. Your positivity reads like boosterism to me. Do you live around here? Is this a place you will be visiting on foot or by bicycle?
What happened to this artwork?
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/artwork_design_poster.pdf
The original under a $million design was supposed to be a passive park. It has morphed into something I don’t recognize. AND the price tag? OMG!!
I love this statement in the material,” The artist spent several months learning about the site…” The site is 0.67 of an acre. Several months studying this site? I’m not sure the city hired the sharpest tool in the shed…
Geoff, Korla is suggesting that the public input into the park design wasn’t taken, received or appreciated by the designers. Do you have any clues of what happened, because I remember at least 2 public meetings over the last couple of years (I’m sure the Rag announced them.)
The plans showed spot down the wide sidewalk, past the grass area, where the art is to be placed. It may just be that the park is not yet finished, maybe the art comes last.
That would seem reasonable. I have trust issues lately!
Gee, I wonder why? The city does that to a person.
If you go here https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/prgdp-canon-street-pocket-park.pdf and look at the legend. Number 17 is the approximate planned location for the public art.
Thanks Korla for the “memories”.
OMG – its so stupid!!
As a free consultant, I will tell you that this is a not a “Dedicated Park,” it is a “Designated Park.” This may help you unerstand.
Parents can tell when an unfamiliar with kids person designs a hazardous playground. Good there’s a fence along the road so the skateboarders don’t shoot off the sidewalk and crash. I wonder how long the hillside will stay in place. I’m sure the people living in the house close by would LOVE to hear a loud band with amps, so the sound can ricochet up the hill into their every room. I see City lawsuits stacking up because a person with no common sense is trying to make a name for themselves.
Really, no exit onto Canon?. This will reduce the use of the park as many would use it as part of a daily walk like I’ve done through the pre-park area for years. There’s a sidewall on Canon.
Mommy, mommy, I gotta go potty. Well, use that bush over there son next to the sleeping homeless person.
Well. that might be a problem too, Chris. During the design phase, the homeless problem was discussed. The SDPD requested that the area from the ground up three feet high be completely clear to discourage homeless camping. So, no place to hide and go potty I’m afraid.
Could’ve had the Mayor’s blue star multi-story Signature Series ADU with no parking and a walk to transit.
LOL! Chris.
Wait… no bus stop at the “pocket park”?
From a 2016 post on the OB Rag:
Public workshops later this year will gather residents’ input to help shape the park. There is widespread sentiment for features that celebrate the neighborhood’s Portuguese culture and nautical history while allowing visitors to stroll through colorful plantings that can be a model for water-wise gardens.
Cultural features being discussed include a “Man and the Wheel” statue and one of “Woman and Children” staring out at San Diego Harbor, awaiting the fleet’s return. Historical placards sprinkled through the park would tell of key moments in the neighborhood’s history such as the first Portuguese settlers around 1880 and the era of 20 tuna canneries in 1910-20. During World War II, many tunaboats went out to sea to assist in the war effort – and some never returned.
Instead of grass fields, the passive park is likely to have meandering trails, benches and colorful plants that can thrive on little water. Instead of a tot lot, an imaginative children’s play structure is envisioned, perhaps a stylized galleon with seating for parents to socialize.
Here’s a year-old post by Geoff Page on the saga behind the money for the park. https://obrag.org/2023/08/the-saga-of-the-money-behind-the-canon-street-pocket-park-in-point-loma/
Here’s another view about the Canon Street Park.
1) The park is designed for the thousands of residents of Roseville who can walk to the park from their homes. Driving to the park is discouraged.
2) For over 10 years, local citizens have worked hard to protect that lot from becoming a dumping ground, protect it from developers, located the funding in the City budget, and hundreds attended many public meetings supporting the park.
3) There’s temporary fencing around the project because it’s a construction zone. The sidewalk from the park will not be behind a locked gate, and will connect with the existing sidewalk on Canon Street going up to Del Mar Street.
4) There’s a large section of grass for children to play on near the play equipment and water-sensitive native plantings for people to enjoy.
5) The wide sidewalk will allow bicyclists, and walkers to share the pathway.
6) For more than 30 years, this lot has had a well-worn path on it, because bicyclists and pedestrians use it to short cut from Canon Street to the commercial areas on Rosecrans Street. The connected & paved pathway makes it a more pleasant journey for those that bother to get out of their cars.
Why not wait until December’s opening to see how the park is used by local residents?
For those that wish to see the actual park design, here’s a link to the City’s design drawings. It’s beautifully designed.
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/prgdp-canon-street-pocket-park.pdf
1.) Among the “thousands” of Roseville residents, seniors who aren’t walking from very nearby will not use a park without restrooms. Neither will some families with children. Driving isn’t “discouraged” it was just not provided for because there was not enough land.
2 ) The money originally set aside for the park was left up to the Peninsula Community Planning Board, an organization that has no money or any say about money. This was a political favor to a few people from politicians hoping for support. This was about $840k, developer fees from the Barnard Elementary School redevelopment site. That money should have been used to repair the third world street that is Barnard Street. The rest of the $3.1 million was added without any public input.
3) I stand partially corrected about the sidewalk to Cañon Street. The park sidewalk ends at an asphalt path that runs northwest along Cañon until it connects with a substandard concrete sidewalk in from of the few custom homes along Cañon. It is too narrow to be ADA compliant as is the sidewalk that runs southeast past the park.
4) We will have to disagree on what a “large section of grass” means. The pictures speak for themselves, the grass section is a small portion of the available site.
5) The wide sidewalk is overkill, especially when there was only 0.67 of an acre to begin with.
6) This one I don’t get, ” short cut from Canon Street to the commercial areas on Rosecrans Street” Just staying on Cañon a few more blocks, downhill, gets you to the commercial district on Rosecrans. Cutting through the park only moves you one block off Cañon. And, why ride uphill through the park only to go back downhill to Rosecrans? Makes no sense.