A fenced, dirt lot at the corner of Waite Drive and Murray Hill Road has sat vacant for more than a decade while La Mesa planned a park that neighbors have been told was coming. Now the city says it has landed a fresh $1.5 million in state funding for Waite Park, though officials acknowledge a $6.5 million gap still separates the project from construction.
La Mesa City Councilmember Laura Lothian said the city received the $1.5 million from the state of California to help fund the proposed park, calling it a significant step forward, according to 10News/KGTV. Waite Park has an estimated cost of around $8 million, per the same report, leaving a $6.5 million shortfall even with the new state award. Lothian acknowledged that substantial work remains to secure the money needed to complete the project.
A Decade of Waiting on a Nearly Four-Acre Lot
Waite Park is planned for a nearly four-acre vacant lot at the corner of Waite Drive and Murray Road, according to 10News, though other reporting has described the site as closer to 2.84 acres. The city of La Mesa purchased the property from San Diego County in July 2012, as San Diego Reader reported. Planning picked back up in 2021 when the city secured funding to create a master plan, Fox 5 San Diego has reported.
The City Council approved the park's final environmental document and master plan on October 10, 2023, according to a project history cited in a Change.org petition pushing for faster construction. By February, city staff said there was no anticipated date for construction because the necessary funding had not been secured, as the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Fox 5 San Diego has separately noted that the design phase is about 80% complete.
Cost Estimates Diverge, but the Gap Persists
Exactly how much Waite Park will cost depends on which account you read. Fox 5 San Diego has reported the park is estimated to cost more than $8 million, while the Union-Tribune reported that city staff estimated in February that construction of the final design could cost up to $7.2 million. Either way, the $1.5 million in new state funding leaves a wide gap, and the city will likely finance the rest of the park through state and federal grants, per the Union-Tribune.
City staff and the parks and recreation department will be responsible for identifying and applying for additional grants, Lothian said. The parks and recreation department knows how to submit grant applications and understands the required criteria, she added, framing the funding search as a staff-driven effort going forward.
Neighbors Say the Lot Has Become a Liability
Bernard Montalvan has lived in the neighborhood since 2004 and lives two blocks from the proposed park. He said the proposed park would be a valuable addition to the community and could give families a place to spend time outdoors. Montalvan believes the outskirts of La Mesa have been overlooked, and he attributed trash and occasional homeless encampments at the vacant lot to its lack of activity and oversight, saying the property sometimes has homeless people and a lot of trash.
Angela Phillips, another resident, said opening the park could benefit this part of La Mesa and give neighbors a place to gather. The vacant lot's condition has become a recurring concern tied to its lack of use, echoing broader community input gathered during the planning process. Between March and September 2022, the city hosted virtual and in-person workshops, conducted surveys and led a site tour, according to the Change.org petition, and nearly 300 respondents to an online survey said they use La Mesa parks weekly, per East County Californian. Homeless and safety concerns came up really strongly during that engagement, the outlet reported.
Design Includes Dog Run, Playground and Basketball Court
The master plan concept design includes a nature-themed playground, an off-leash dog park, a fitness zone, picnic tables and benches, a family-style restroom and a basketball court, according to East County Californian. The amenities reflect years of community input gathered through workshops and surveys, even as the funding to build them has lagged behind the planning.
La Mesa has pursued similar dog-focused amenities elsewhere: late last year, a group of advocates successfully pushed the city to expand an off-leash area for dogs at MacArthur Park, the Union-Tribune reported. For now, Waite Park remains a vacant lot surrounded by a fence, and the city says it plans to pursue funding opportunities to move the project closer to construction.
Montalvan said he hopes the renewed effort will lead to a completed park, but after years of waiting, he remains cautious. The property's long and often-stalled history gives residents reason for both hope and hesitation as the city's grant search continues.
