La Jolla Rec Council to vote on proposal for skatepark at Recreation Center

Whether or not La Jolla Rec Center is an appropriate place to build a prospective skateboard park will be up for a vote at La Jolla Parks & Recreation, Inc. Board’s meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 24 in Room 2 of the center at 615 Prospect St.

The idea was first proposed by Marnie Gavit, who took a seat as a new Rec Council board member in February. She has made it clear that before any location is identified, much work is needed, including getting young skaters involved in the process. She has garnered support of the Tony Hawk Foundation, a nonprofit promoting skate park creation, who spoke about the idea at the board’s last meeting.

On Monday, the Town Council’s Parks and Beaches Committee heard public testimony on an information-only item discussing the possibility of building a skateboard park in an area designated as open space near the bike path running from Nautilus Street and culminating in Bird Rock.

An ad hoc group of bike-path neighbors led by Alison Patton turned out to speak against the skateboard park proposal, citing noise, traffic problems and encroachment on open space as sound reasons for opposing a development of that nature in the area.

Those wishing to be updated on issues relating to the proposed skateboard park can do so by going to savethebikepath@gmail.com.

The Rec Council board is also expected to vote on what its role and responsibilities should be regarding the rec center and other area parks vis-à-vis other local community advisory groups that weigh in with the city on park issues. The city Parks Department is in the process of developing a new special use permit (SUP) that delineates how park boundaries are to be divided among three La Jolla community advisory groups — La Jolla Parks & Rec., Inc., the La Jolla Shores Association and the Parks and Beaches Committee of La Jolla Town Council.