Council approves funding for the development of Chollas Triangle Park and others

The San Diego City Council voted Monday to allocate about $4.7 million for parks in the communities of City Heights, El Cerrito and Southcrest.

That includes $400,000 in funding for the evaluation of a site that was identified by city officials and community members nearly a decade ago as a possible location for a park.

The city plans to use the 5-acre site as a temporary storage center for homeless people’s belongings.

Residents of the surrounding neighborhoods of El Cerrito Heights, Redwood Village and Oak Park said they were worried the storage would delay plans for a park.

City officials said the use of the location would not affect plans for a park because the site is temporary.

Lauren Kimmons, a Redwood Village resident, said it’s exciting to see progress.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Kimmons said.

In 2015, the city’s general plan and the community plan were updated to include recommendations for an area known as the Chollas Triangle. That plan called for a mixed-use, transit-oriented hub and a 5-acre park, Chollas Triangle Park.

Residents supported the vision because of the lack of parks in the area, and it became an ongoing conversation among residents and local community groups.

The site, however, remained a vacant lot. City staff recommended using it for the new storage site because it’s close to a known homeless population.

Other parks in San Diego City Council District 9 in eastern and southeastern San Diego will also see improvements and repairs.

Nearly $4 million will be used for repairs to the pool at the City Heights Swim Center and about $350,000 will be used for improvements to the Willie Henderson Sports Complex in Southcrest.

“This funding is important for quality of life in District 9,” said council President Georgette Gomez, who represents the district. “The residents and I have been working hard to get to this point, and it’s a great start for what we have planned across all our communities.”

The $400,000 would go to hiring a consultant to create a design for Chollas Triangle Park. The total cost of the park is estimated at $5 million for the closure of Chollas Parkway and development of the park.

The closure of the street was identified as a possible design option in 2015 to connect the park to Chollas Creek, which runs along Chollas Parkway.

The City Council on Monday unanimously approved $9.3 million in funding for capital improvement projects throughout the city.