It has begun. San Diego’s recent budget battle has now reached Ocean Beach and Point Loma.
It started on Saturday, August 29th — over a dozen San Diego recreation centers had their operating hours cut drastically — including the Ocean Beach Rec Center. Hours were cut from 60 to only 40 hours — that’s 33% — a third!
Other rec centers with these kind of cuts include La Jolla, Ocean Air, Pacific Beach, North Clairemont, Canyonside, Carmel Mountain Ranch/ Sabre Springs, Hilltop, Rancho Bernardo Glassman, Scripps Ranch Community, Kearny Mesa, Allied Gardens, and Tierrasanta.
These drops in a third of the hours opened were the results of the $118 million budget shortfall that the electeds couldn’t deal with. And they may mean that community groups – like the OB Planning Board – will have to find alternative locations.
In addition, six city libraries will see operational changes — including Point Loma. It and three others will lose some Saturday hours, dropping from 51 hours a week to 47. These include Central, La Jolla and Rancho Bernardo libraries. Also, University Heights and Allied Gardens libraries will no longer be open on Mondays, reducing their weekly hours to 42.5.
The Ocean Beach library was not included in any of these cuts because it closed on the 29th for its expansion and won’t be open again until the summer of 2028/
Initially Mayor Todd Gloria initially proposed reducing hours at nine additional rec centers — including Robb Field — but the City Council restored funding for those locations, ensuring they retain a 60-hour week. Those other centers included Carmel Valley, Pacific Highlands Ranch, Gil Johnson Mira Mesa, Hourglass Field, Nobel Athletic Fields, and Standley.
Ironically, three rec centers — North Park, Mira Mesa, and Linda Vista — were slated for hour reductions but will now maintain their current 51-hour schedules following the City Council’s changes.
