In and around the Community Park

written by Omar Passons, North Park Community Association

The NPCA has increased its focus on working with its members and neighbors to improve the quality of life of all residents in North Park. Our commitment to the ALBA/North Park Community Partnership is one component of that focus. We have also begun working more closely with The Boulevard BIA to help El Cajon Boulevard continue its transformation and are constantly looking for ways to help neighbors who want to improve or maintain their neighborhoods throughout North Park.

This article is part of a multi-part series on the effort to work with San Diego Unified School District and ALBA Community Day School.  For background, you can read about:

On September 15th, I met with School District leadership (Bill Kowba, Stuart Markey, and Jim Watts), the ALBA Principal (Vernon Moore), Park and Recreation Leadership (David Monroe), SDPD (Officers David Surwilo and Dean Bishop), and Councilmember Gloria's office liaison (Travis Knowles).  The purpose of that meeting was to take the many sources of community input the group has taken in to date and flesh out a timeline for determining what could be done, how much each item would cost, and which agencies would be able to help fund the improvements.

What happened at the September 15th meeting?

 

The group discussed how we could get from this list of community priorities and legal requirements/needs of the School District to a determination of what could realistically be funded, by when, and by whom.  To do that, we identified two large sub-areas: (1) Security/Safety and (2) Joint Use Opportunities (aside: the School District and the City share the use of some of the property at the south end of the park, which creates ways for both to share in paying for improvements).

The School District agreed to have its law enforcement personnel work with SDPD to evaluate the best way to address site security in the area.  We needed this step to make sure the limited money available would be used in a way most likely to improve security and safety for students and residents.  The School District committed to completing the assessment and determining the costs of those recommendations within 60 days.  Similarly, Park and Recreation and the School District agreed to determine, based on all the information gathered, what the options and costs for Joint Use Opportunities at the site would be, how much they would cost, and who may be able to fund them.  This was also set on a 60-day timeline.  At the meeting I also committed the NPCA to helping bring mentors into ALBA and to taking an active role in keeping the park and the neighborhood clean.

In two months has anything happened?

The first part of the security/safety assessment was completed on the ALBA school grounds. That led to several recommendations for a portion of the area. A follow up has been scheduled to complete an assessment in conjunction with SDPD. SDUSD has also provided detailed estimates for major improvements to joint use facilities in the following areas:

• Replacing rusted out basketball and light poles in outdoor basketball area;

• Costs of replacing chain link with ornamental security fence around perimeter of Joint Use Field and basketball area;

• Resurfacing portions of street and curb and cutter replacement along Joint Use Field;

• Security camera placement and trenching costs at locations on the Joint Use Field;

• Reseeding and top dressing the Joint Use Multi-purpose field (including cost options for both artificial turf and natural grass)

The total preliminary estimate of these items is over 2 million dollars and the partners are continuing to discuss whether and to what extent these items may be funded.

What about fixing items specifically on the Community Park?

The School District cannot legally pay for items that are solely on the city’s Park property. They are willing to participate in sharing costs for areas that serve ALBA students as well as the community. The School District is also examining ways to help increase safety for the students by examining the area around this part of our neighborhood.

What has the NPCA been doing to help the process?

The NPCA, through my involvement as well as other interested members, has taken an active role in several ways. First, I have worked with Travis Knowles to ensure that the partnership team focuses on improving the neighborhood and helping ensure the arrival of ALBA School is a positive driver for the community and park improvements.

The NPCA has three members that alternate providing assistance with park cleaning on Saturday mornings (NOTE: To volunteer on alternating clean-up Saturdays at the park, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). We have a representative on the School Site Council to help ALBA stay connected to the community and to have a way to carry any concerns we hear from neighbors back to the school. The Recreation Center Council has been functioning with only three members for several months, which is below its organizational guidelines and makes it difficult to provide broad community input. As a result, six NPCA members who live within a half-mile of the Community Park have started attending meetings to ultimately become voting members and help increase positive community participation.

The North Park Action Team has begun to work with Principal Moore to engage the students at ALBA in a community assessment. This process will help the students develop skills to use in their own communities and will also help shape gathering information about the neighborhood.

Through discussions with NPCA members, local businesses have begun to come forward to offer opportunities for exposure to art and skilled trades for ALBA students.

What is next and when will actual funding decisions be made?

The School District and Parks and Recreation Department will meet to discuss joint needs relative to the “joint use” areas and see if there are ways to modify the current agreement to serve the school and the community. In addition, the School District has committed to completing a site assessment for safety with the SDPD for the entire area, broadening out from the school buildings alone.

Decisions about what items will be funded from Proposition S bond money will be made by the Board of Trustees. I will continue to advocate for priorities expressed by our members and neighbors, and encourage everyone with an interest to get involved. Councilmember Gloria’s office continues to be an essential leader in the process and you can always contact Travis Knowles in his office, visit Councilmember Gloria’s Facebook page, or see him at one of his Coffee with the Councilmember neighborhood visits.

A meeting of the School Board regarding Proposition S project issues is scheduled for March but we are working to encourage a decision at a January School Board meeting. This is important because it will help in securing other needed funding. Once the School Board has voted, the NPCA will look to the Redevelopment Agency (what's that?) and complete a submittal package to the Redevelopment Project Area Committee to seek additional funds to complete major aspects of the overall project. The NPCA continues to search for grant resources that can help defray costs and is in communication with SDG&E regarding the utility cabinets near the tot lot to see what can be done to improve safety by removing that blind spot at the park.

Is it too late to get involved?

No. There are still a number of ongoing efforts and every amount of community support helps strengthen the project and the neighborhood. If you would like to get involved, contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .