In January, La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc. endorsed hosting the annual La Jolla Half Marathon, set for April 26, as well as sanctioning proposed improvements for Whale View Point and preliminary schematic drawings for a pavilion including restrooms and showers at Ellen Browning Scripps Park.
Park planners also were introduced to Parish Rye, the new city park ranger hired to shuttle between the Jewel’s coastal parks to enforce regulations and keep the peace. The all-volunteer group meets every fourth Monday at La Jolla Rec Center to make recommendations on coastal parks.
Rye introduced himself to the group, noting he’s only been on the job six weeks and was hired after working for a decade in Balboa Park.
“I’m here to help with what the community’s needs are,” said Rye. “My hours will vary depending on the needs of the community,” he added, noting he will be a liaison between lifeguards and the police department working with both. The boundaries of his patrol area go from Tourmaline Surf Park north to Torrey Pines Gliderport.
Rye’s phone number is (858) 581-9981. His email is [email protected].
Don Hodges of La Jolla Kiwanis and Leisha Battles gave a brief presentation on the 34th annual half marathon, which starts at Del Mar racetrack and ends at La Jolla Cove.
“We raise more than $200,000 a year from the event and all proceeds go to addressing children in the community,” said Hodges.
“What percentage of the park is not used?” asked group chair Dan Allen, who was told that much of the park remains open for the event, ending in the early afternoon.
“Thank you for not using all the park,” noted longtime park planner Melinda Merryweather.
Ann Dynes gave a slideshow presentation discussing proposed shoreline enhancement of Whale View Point, known in part for its cobblestoned Climbing Wall area, built in 1910. Dynes said improvements include replacing existing salt bush in the area with other plant alternatives, building a retaining wall below the climbing wall and putting in a sidewalk replacing an existing decomposed granite path.
“We’re characterizing this as a revegetation, maintenance project,” said Dynes. “We’re trying to use it as a demonstration project.”
Noting Whale View Point has numerous “historical elements,” Dynes said the parks committee is “committed to preserve those.”
Water runoff, particularly following storms, has been problematic, with drainage coming down the bluff from the climbing wall.
“One of the things discussed with the city was the importance of preserving something at this site to keep the wall from being undermined,” Dynes said, adding that “That includes a nice foot path for people to use.”
Dynes asked the group to favorably view rebuilding the mostly deteriorated retaining wall to create a new path, which would be made of concrete rather than decomposed granite, to be carried away by water runoff. The group vote in favor of her suggestion was unanimous.
Taal Safdie, of Safdie Rabines Architects, presented design drawings of the new proposed park pavilion complex, which would be more than double the size of the existing facility, providing ample bathroom, shower and storage space while minimizing view obstruction on the park’s green lawn above the Cove.
Safdie noted her preliminary, three-dimensional design plan “gives more breathing space between the existing path and the proposed pavilion building.”
Park planners, including Mary Munk, who’s spearheaded development of several park restrooms in La Jolla, cautioned that the new facilities need to be designed with needs of the disabled in mind. Munk cautioned against locating too many sinks inside restroom facilities, noting homeless people have been known to use them as makeshift laundry facilities.
Park planner Sally Miller added it’s important to have subdued lighting at the pavilion site.
Judy Halter moved that the architect’s preliminary design scheme be approved by the group “with flexibility and to address challenging issues that come up with (Americans with Disabilities Act compliance).”
“This is a schematic design only,” noted Allen. “We’re not going out to build it tomorrow.”
The group voted overwhelmingly in favor of the new park pavilion design plan.