Several Carmel Valley parks set for improvements in 2020

The first round of enhancements for several Carmel Valley parks began this summer at Carmel Creek Neighborhood Park.

Back in 2015, the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board approved $18 million worth of park improvements, tapping into Developer Impact Fees. Construction is now underway at Carmel Creek on a new play structure, making Americans with Disability Act (ADA) improvements to the existing children’s play area by removing barriers to the path of travel and bringing six new picnic tables and one new shade structure. The work is expected to be complete in 2020.

Several of Carmel Valley’s park projects are anticipated to begin construction in 2020, including:

• New comfort station (restroom building), two new picnic tables and a shade structure at Carmel Grove Neighborhood Park
• The demolition and replacement of the comfort station at Carmel Del Mar Neighborhood Park
• New comfort station at Carmel Knolls Neighborhood Park
• New comfort station at Carmel Mission Neighborhood Park
• Artificial turf field at Carmel Valley Community Park
• New comfort station at Solana Highlands Neighborhood Park
• New comfort station, concession building, six new picnic tables, two new shade structures and synthetic turf at Ocean Air Community Park
  

Next year, the design process is finally expected to begin on the long-awaited Carmel Valley Neighborhood Park #8, located on four aces off Tang Drive and Carmel Creek Road, near from San Diego Jewish Academy and Kaiser Permanente Carmel Valley.
The new $6.6 million park will include a play area, picnic facilities, open turf areas and landscaping and is anticipated to be completed in 2024.

The park has been in the works since the city acquired the land in 1994 through the Carmel Valley Restoration and Enhancement Project (CVREP). The popular CVREP trail, now known as Marvin Gerst Trail, is part of the SR-56 bike trail that runs between Interstate 5 and 15. In 2020, the trail will be extended to go underneath I-5 and make the final connection to Old Sorrento Valley Road.