PARK Accessibility is limited
cess to the outdoors other than a small balcony.”
“The park is well-loved and heavily used by families that live in multifamily buildings immediately surrounding the park,” she said. “It’s a place for birthday parties, picnics and play dates. All kids deserve a clean and well-maintained space to play and get exercise.”
Eucalyptus has also served as a cut-through for residents to reach grocery stores, laundromats and other businesses located just north of the park. But it’s not an easy trek, especially if someone is disabled or on a wheelchair.
“It’s just not really accessible,” said Bertha Gutierrez, 64. “I have to cross the park in order to go grocery shopping, which I love walking, but it’s hard to do there. I’m scared to death to break
my legs but I don’t have a choice. I don’t have a car.”
The park has eucalyptus trees and a monarch butterf ly habitat and is highly used for its recreational assets like the basketball court and ballfield. But it has a long list of challenges the city wants to address, including its lack of accessibility and vegetation, outdated structures, limited lighting and an unsightly fence around the park.
City consultant KTUA is tasked with designing Eucalyptus’ upgrades. Because of community feedback, new elements include a perimeter walking path that would allow visitors to better access most assets, including Menzel Field on the park’s south corner. There are also plans to add a bike playground, skate plaza, pickleball courts, splash pad, fitness equipment, a perimeter trail and a multipurpose artificial turf field. Improvements to the storm water channel and dog park are also planned.
Adjacent to Eucalyptus Park is a former YMCA building that has sat vacant for more than four years. The city wants to transform
the building into a new “intergenerational art gallery” for community arts events and programs. The site will be called Casa Casillas, in honor of former Mayor Mary Casillas Salas’ mother.
While some are excited about plans for a local makerspace, others have raised concern over the city’s use of funding for those projects over homelessness and other top city issues. Casa Casillas will use about $800,000 of the $5.95 million, as well as $1.45 million in federal stimulus funding.
City officials have said stimulus funds are best spent on one-time spending opportunities like renovations and improvements, while other forms of grants can address long-term issues like homelessness. Most recently, Chula Vista received an additional $1.8 million from San Diego County for its forthcoming pallet shelter.
KTUA officials said another community workshop for Eucalyptus Park is planned for March 2. Park updates are slated for completion in March 2025.