Balboa Park is as synonymous to San Diego as Central Park is to New York. With more than 14 million guests annually, this is the place where the community comes together to enjoy the vibrant history and open space that San Diego is known for.
The Foundation has granted more than $2.4 million to Balboa Park.
Over the years, The San Diego Foundation Balboa Park Endowment has played an integral role in Balboa Park.
From investing in new bike racks that increase access to the many cultural institutions, to planting 100 drought-tolerant trees that beautify the landscape (and funding a state-of-the-art irrigation system in the Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden to boot!), The San Diego Foundation has granted more than $2.4 million to support the preservation, maintenance and beautification of our cherished cultural and community gathering place.
Now, we have another project to celebrate!
In partnership with the City of San Diego, Councilmember Todd Gloria, Balboa Park Conservancy, Committee of One Hundred and Friends of Balboa Park, The San Diego Foundation will help replace and refit the old lighting on Cabrillo Bridge.
Cabrillo Bridge, the historic pedestrian and automobile bridge built for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition, is the most heavily trafficked route for Balboa Park guests. And the lights on the bridge guide runners, walkers and visitors to the many cultural institutions within.
Yet other than a paint job a few years ago, the lights have never been touched since the original installation.
The project is expected to be completed before 2016 December Nights.
The new project will bring the 31 Cabrillo Bridge lights back to their original condition, repaint them with the same color that was used for the 1935 exposition, and replace the non-historic globe fixtures with efficient LED light bulbs and historically accurate globes that match the 1915 drawings from the City.
The project is expected to be complete before the 2016 December Nights event, but if you’re visiting the Park in the coming months you’ll see a difference as the City removes the old and installs the new lights in stages.
Restoring Balboa Park
Recently, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced ambitious plans for a restoration initiative to preserve and enhance Balboa Park and other regional parks.
In partnership with the City, Balboa Park’s cultural partners, and many other local leaders, we support the transformational return of Balboa Park to its natural beauty, reestablishing pedestrian-friendly parklands and improving public access for all.
The San Diego Foundation believes we must invest in Balboa Park to keep our beloved community gathering place beautiful and accessible. Please join us.
