The following “Vision” is the personal Vision of Al Radick. As shown below it was endorsed by several Mira Mesa community leaders. In June 2015, it was distributed to the upper management of the San Diego Park & Recreation Dept. as well as the offices of Council Member Chris Cate and Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Substantial interest was generated that resulted in many questions and an on-going discussion about how The Vision might be implemented.
A VISION and A PLAN
for providing maximum possible shade at the PUBLIC PARKS of MIRA MESA
June, 2015
by Al Radick, MMRC – MMTC
Endorsed by:
Bruce Brown, MMRC – MMTC – MMCPG
John Horst, MMCPG – MMTC
Ken Kaplan, MMRC – MMCPG – MMTC
Jeff Stevens, MMTC – MMCPG – MMRC
Julius Hitchens, MMAYSO – MMTC
THE VISION
The Vision, the long term Vision …..
All public parks in Mira Mesa offering the maximum possible shade protection for all users of the parks.
Doing so will help protect people, especially children, from the damaging rays of the sun which is a leading cause of skin cancer.
Interestingly, that same shade protection will also protect the shaded equipment and structures from premature degradation by the sun’s damaging rays thereby reducing the frequency of required maintenance/replacement of the equipment.
Wherever park equipment is shaded there is increased use during daylight hours because of the increase in user comfort. This is especially true of playgrounds and Par Fitness Stations.
Toward this end, no new parks, park expansions or major park renovations should be built or even considered unless they include all possible protection from the sun such as what has been planned in the First Phase of the Mira Mesa Community Park expansion and renovation project.
There are many opportunities in the existing 12 parks to increase the amount of available shade. These opportunities include;
> Shade screening over every baseball/softball field dugout.
> An appropriate shade structure over every spectator bleacher.
> A shade sail structure over every children’s playground similar to the one at Lopez Ridge Park.
> A Gazebo similar to the ones at Breen, Camino Ruiz and Maddox Parks. They would not only provide shade but they would also contribute to SDP&R revenue every year via reservation fees.
> A patio shade structure similar to the one at Lopez Ridge Park wherever a building exists, including restroom/concession stand & restroom only buildings.
> A shade structure over every Par Fitness Station like the station’s at Hourglass Field Park, Lopez Ridge Park & Breen Park.
> A shade structure over every canyon view point like the view points at Camino Ruiz, Lopez Ridge & Maddox Parks. Depending on the type of construction these might also serve as Gazebo’s.
> Currently, there are four open top structures at Breen @ Camino Ruiz Parks that straddle picnic tables. Shade covering/roofs should be added to these four structures.
> All picnic tables should have a center umbrella hole added to them so people can bring their own shade umbrella with them when using a park and, of course, any new tables purchased should come with the center umbrella hole.
THE PLAN
Obviously, there is substantial cost involved to do all of the retrofit projects listed above. Therefore the major projects will have to be done over a period of time as funding becomes available.
Some of these project opportunities can/should be addressed by local volunteers with their own labor. Many times local volunteers are even able/willing to fund the reasonable and appropriate cost of shade projects by hiring and paying reputable contractors to do the work.
SPECIFIC SHADE OPPORTUNITIES:
MIRA MESA COMMUNITY PARK
Dugout shade – Bleacher shade.
NOTHING else because of the imminent and pending addition/renovation projects.
HOURGLASS FIELD COMMUNITY PARK
Dugout shade – Bleacher shade – Playground shade – Par Fitness station shade – Patio shade @ restroom/concession bldg. – Gazebo.
LOPEZ RIDGE PARK
Par Fitness station shade – Viewpoint shade.
BREEN PARK
Playground shade – Par Fitness station shade – Picnic table shade.
CAMINO RUIZ PARK
Playground shade – Viewpoint shade – Dugout shade – Bleacher shade – Picnic table shade.
MADDOX PARK
Playground shade – Viewpoint shade
MESA VERDE PARK
Playground shade – Gazebo
MESA VIKING PARK
Playground shade – Gazebo
CHRISTA MCAULIFFE PARK
Playground shade – Gazebo
WESTVIEW PARK
Patio shade @ restroom bldg.
A playground shade structure is imminent.
WALKER PARK
NOTHING because of the pending expansion renovation project.
SANDBURG PARK
Playground shade – Gazebo