by Bruce Brown & Al Radick

Have you ever been to your local park with the family and wondered why the heck did they do/not do that? Or maybe you just know you had a better idea, but who will listen to you?

WE WILL!!

In the coming months the Mira Mesa Recreation Council will be hosting workshops to brainstorm ideas with the city’s park planners for several new parks that are coming to Mira Mesa in the next few years. These park projects are fully funded, all that’s needed, in addition to your input, is design and construction. The total cost of all of these projects is about $50 million, a bunch of money.

The first project is on west side of Black Mountain Rd. It will merge Walker Neighborhood Park with the playing fields that are now part of Wangenheim Middle School and will certainly include restrooms.

The second project is a new park that is adjacent to and wraps around behind Salk Elementary School and merges with Maddox Neighborhood Park. A new restroom building will definitely be included in this project.

The third project is a brand new Resource Park within the Canyon Hills Open Space which is located on top of the mountain at the corner of I-15 and Mercy Rd., the far northeastern corner of Mira Mesa. And yes, it will have mountain high restrooms that would make John Denver proud.

The fourth and fifth projects are phases 2 & 3 of the Mira Mesa Community Park expansion and renovation project, construction of phase 1 began last December. Under consideration is a swimming pool, wheels friendly plaza, a brand new recreation center and the repurposing of the old Gil Johnson Recreation Center.

So, if you’d like to get involved and offer your thoughts and ideas come to a 7:00 PM meeting of the Mira Mesa Recreation Council on Tuesday August 9th at Salk Elementary School or September 13th at Lopez Ridge Neighborhood Park. Other dates will be added as needed. Additional info is available on miramesarecreationcouncil.org

We hope to see your smiling face and hear your words of wisdom.