There is exciting news about Mira Mesa’s park system – after years of planning and working with City Staff, the Mira Mesa Recreation Council have several  new park projects about to move forward.  Below is a brief description and approximate start dates for each of those projects.

Mira Mesa Community Park expansion (Phase 1, 2 and 3)

Phase 1

If you look north from Gil Johnson Recreation Center you see an eleven acre, undeveloped piece of property that today is home to the Mira Mesa West Little League (MMWLL).  This is the site of phase 1 of the Mira Mesa Community Park expansion.  This phase of the project will include four new baseball fields(for the Little League), open space area, restrooms/snack bar building, walking trail around the perimeter, shade structure and traffic calming measures along New Salem including a new pedestrian walk way that will safely connect the old and new park areas.  It will also include a monument sign which will highlight those Mira Mesans who have been honored as “Volunteer of the Year” for Mira Mesa (going back to 1984) and will direct you to a website so that you can discover why these folks were so honored.

It is our hope that construction on phase 1 will begin in the September to October time frame of 2015 and be ready for use sometime in 2017.

Phase 2

Phase 2 of this expansion will consist of designing and construction of a new Aquatic Center (Swimming Pool) in the area that is now occupied by the outdoor basketball courts – which will be moved from their present location to the west side of Gil Johnson Recreation Center.  Another aspect of phase 2 is construction of a “wheel friendly plaza” north of Mira Mesa Blvd along New Salem.

Design work on Phase 2 should begin sometime early 2016 with construction beginning in late 2017 or sometime in early 2018. The Swimming Pool should be ready to use in 2019.

Phase 3

Phase 3 will consist of a building new 17,000 sq. ft. gymnasium just south of the Gil Johnson Recreation Center. The current Recreation Center will continue to operate and have active programming even after the new gym is opened.

Design work on the new gym could begin as early as 2017 with it opening happening in late 2019.

Wangenheim Joint Use Sport Fields

If you drive along Black Mountain Rd. and look to the west from the Miramar College entrance, you will see a big grass area that lays between Walker Elementary School, to the north, and Wangenheim Middle School, to the south.  This area is known as the Wangenheim Joint Use Sport Fields and Walker Neighborhood Park.

This proposed project upon completion, will double the size of the sport field area by adding grass to the area on the far west portion of the property (currently gravel).  The project will also add a much needed 30 car parking lot that will be accessed from Flanders on the west side of the property.  To expand the playing time during “standard time” periods of the year the project will also add additional lightning so that the entire sport field area can be lighted at night.

One of the most important features of this project will be the addition of a restroom/storage/snack bar area which will be built near Black Mountain Rd. in the area that is now the fence line between Walker Park and the sport fields.  Finally there will be a shade structure added to the Tot Lot at Walker Park.

Design work on this project should begin sometime in 2015 with the project being completed by 2018.

Maddox Neighborhood Park (annex.)

After over 30 years of waiting the community is finally having a new elementary school built.  Jonas Salk Elementary School, located on the corner of Flanders and Parkdale (next to Maddox Neighborhood Park) is currently under construction and will be open in September of 2015.  Great news!!

If you look closely, you will notice graded but vacant land to the south and west of the school.  This area (4.1 acres) belongs to the city of San Diego and will become an annex. to Maddox Neighborhood Park.  The City and the San Diego Unified School District have also entered into a joint use agreement that will allow areas on the school campus (another 4.1 acres) to be used for park purposes during the time that school is not in session.

The Maddox Neighborhood Park (annex.) should be designed and constructed by 2018.