LAKE JENNINGS TO GET SOME UPGRADES
LAKESIDE
The popular campground at Lake Jennings is in the early stages of some big changes.
The five-member governing board for the Helix Water District, which oversees the reservoir and its 350-acre parkland in Lakeside, agreed to put nearly $500,000 into fixing up the nearly 100spot camp site.
The board last month unanimously approved a nearly $230,000 contract with the outside firm KTUA for planning and landscape architectural services, plus an additional nearly $260,000 from Helix’s capital budget for the first phase of Lake
Jennings campground improvements.
Helix Water District owns and operates Lake Jennings and surrounding land that has been developed over the last five decades for recreational purposes. In addition to day-use picnicking, hiking, fishing, boat launch and boat/kayak rental availability, the facilities include a 96site campground first constructed in 1966.
A report to the board of directors from Helix General Manager Carlos Lugo and the district’s engineering department noted that most of the campground infrastructure and amenities are more than 50 years old and in need of upgrades or replacement.
KTUA gave a presentation to the district highlighting some of the ideas it had for landscape, infrastructure and amenity improvements at the campground. The group shared designs and builds at Kumeyaay Lake at Mission Trails Regional Park, Santee Lakes and Vail Lake Resort in Temecula. KTUA also shared the design work it has done as a proposal for the Chula Vista Bayfront RV Resort.
Clint Bell, the chief operating officer at Kampgrounds Enterprises Incorporated, has been tabbed to help KTUA. KEI operates seven Kampgrounds Of America sites in California, Arizona and Missouri.
“Clint knows what people are wanting and looking for in their camping experience,” said Helix board member Joel Scalzitti, who has been a staunch supporter of Lake Jennings for decades.
“KTUA presenter (Chris Langdon) lives in La Mesa and he’s proud to build in East County, he’s got the heart and soul. We didn’t get just a consultant, this is a team of professionals with a wide range of ideas, camping designers, operators, maintainers. Everything is changing in the camping world and we’ve got to change along with it. That’s why I’m so excited about this. It’s not just design and build and then leave us.”
KTUA’s presentation showed water and sewer line
improvements for Lake Jennings, new paving, electrical and solar upgrades, and natural structural and vegetative means to treat, prevent or reduce water pollution.
The group also showed its view of enhanced RV sites, special “eco tents,” furnished cabins with electricity and more for different types of
camping experiences. Lake Jennings already has five tepees on its campground that are popular with campers.
Although the group showed some campground amenities that may not be in Helix’s budget at this time — inflatable trampoline “jumping pillows,” “human foosball,” a zipline and a splash pad — the board may entertain some of those at a later date.
KTUA expects to meet with Helix staff this month to discuss and select what to include in the improvement plan and pricing, meet with the Helix board in January to present all of their pre-design work, and then meet with Helix staff in February to look at design.