Strengthening ALL of North Park

ALBA/Community Partnership Update

On Wednesday, August 26th, the NPCA hosted a Town Hall/Break Out at the former North Park Elementary site (now ALBA Community Day School at North Park).  The Town Hall was the fourth in a series of meetings and conversations intended to help ensure that the community is involved in the planning and direction of efforts related to the school, the Community Park, and the neighborhood surrounding the park.  To see a summary of the points raised in the four break-out sessions, click here.

Background (click here to read a previous article on the ALBA/North Park community partnership)

At the Town Hall

The NPCA is involved in this effort to help ensure that our combined community efforts are focused on the neighborhood and the Community Park, in addition to the ALBA.  At the Town Hall, we indicated that several steps would follow: (1) the break-out sessions would be held and all information generated there and in prior neighborhood walk efforts would be posted to our site; (2) that a follow up meeting would be held with SDUSD, the NPCA, ALBA Administration, SD Parks and Recreation, Councilman Gloria’s Office, and SD Police Department to begin to prioritize the combined ideas and determine what types of commitments are possible; (3) that the rationale for the prioritization would be provided; and (4) that the NPCA’s involvement and the overall process would be open to any members of our community concerned with the outcome of improving North Park.

As with any effort, the Town Hall had successes and challenges.  We saw many residents who have been committed to North Park for multiple decades.  We also saw several new faces, primarily in the Break Out session focused on Neighborhood Concerns.  This group saw the opportunities and provided constructive information about concerns that needed to be addressed as well as possible solutions.  Six of the attendees to this session volunteered on the spot to assist both in the neighborhood and to get involved with ALBA school.  Some participants in the Long-Term Planning Break-Out session expressed disbelief that anything would or could come out of this process and that no funding existed to attempt any of the ideas being generated.  The Break-Out session specific to ALBA was facilitated by Principal Vernon Moore, and contained very useful information about the School, corrected misinformation, and encouraged residents to get involved at the school.  Finally, the Facilities and Joint Use Break-Out session, though attended by only a few people, generated a substantial list of ideas and hopes for the partnership to consider.

Follow up Implementation Meeting

On September 15th, representatives from each of the partner entities met to begin the long process of prioritizing and implementing a combination of legal requirements, community ideas, and public safety related items that have come out of the last few months of effort.  The meeting was attended by: Stuart Markey, Jim Watts, Omar Passons, Vernon Moore, Travis Knowles, David Surwilo, Dean Bishop, and David Monroe.  We discussed the opportunities and challenges ahead and managed to identify three key deliverables:

1. The NPCA, together with the several volunteers and business owners who have stepped forward to help, will begin working with Principal Moore to establish an in-school mentoring/sharing program to expose students to new opportunities.  This effort is planned to be in place within 45 days of the meeting.
2. The School District was clear that site security and safety is a significant priority and is eager to help find ways to address the common theme of security and public safety.  To that end, a small working group of SDUSD internal staff, SDPD, Councilman Gloria’s office and the NPCA will set out to determine what the specific needs in the immediate school, joint use, park, and adjacent street areas are.  SDUSD will help provide its outside consultants in conjunction with the SDPD CEPTED program to determine what needs exist and what the specific costs are of implementing those needs.  The SDUSD is not permitted by law to fund items outside the Joint Use area, but has agreed to help determine applicable costs and consider funding items up to and including the Joint Use Field.  Timeline:  The target deadline for producing a security/safety plan and implementation budget costs is November 18, 2009.
3. The Parks and Recreation representative confirmed that the number one priority for his office is to take the Community Park back for the residents of North Park.  Together with SDPD and the community, Parks and Recreation will endeavor to determine the costs and implementation approach for a complete upgrade of the Joint Use Field, including the costs associated with replacement irrigation systems, and added site security measures.  To the extent that the improvements to the Joint Use Field are necessary to meet legal physical activity requirements of the ALBA school, SDUSD is willing to consider helping the Parks and Recreation Department meet the challenge of carrying out these improvements.  Timeline: The target deadline for producing the Joint Use Field plan and implementation budget costs is November 18, 2009.

Next Steps

The School District will work internally to manage those issues that are completely within its sole control, and together with the NPCA and SDPD on a coordinated approach to site security in and around the school.  It must be understood that Proposition S funding may be used for school/school-related funding only and it is the partnership’s combined challenge—not the School District’s standing alone—to find ways to meet our community’s needs.  The Parks and Recreation Department will continue the process it has already begun of identifying needs and a plan for the Joint Use Field area.  They will work through their existing community input process—the Recreation Center Council—and with the other partners to this effort.  The NPCA will continue to make available volunteer opportunities for residents who want to help and to assist ALBA and the partnership efforts with project leadership and communication as needed.

Update on the Adult Center Tear Down

During the meeting, we also received an update on the tear down of the Adult Center building on the north end of the Community Park.  While the resources have already been programmed for this project, the current tenants have not completed tenant improvements at their new location and the tear down cannot occur until these improvements are complete.  You may contact Travis Knowles in Councilman Gloria’s office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information about the tear down.  We did not reach addressing what might replace the old Adult Center and the community input process for this element of Park changes is likely to be through the Recreation Council and other inputs.

If you want to be more involved, please feel free to contact Omar Passons at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The more neighbor-level involvement on this project, the stronger our efforts will be.