A $13 million, 50,000 square-foot YMCA facility is slated to open on the former Pearson Ford lot at Fairmount Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard in City Heights. Its design includes a health and wellness center, gym, aquatics center and outdoor soccer arena.
It won’t include affordable housing, a market with gourmet stock or retail jobs. And it won’t include a skate park.
Those were just some of the ideas floated by residents north and south of El Cajon Boulevard when Price Charities called for proposals for the site last fall. HealthyCal.org zeroed in on a group of skaters who said they hoped half-pipes and pools would be carved into the flat lot.
For now, it looks like the skaters will have to stick to the flat cement and modest curbs behind Weingart Library. Or take up soccer.
And it seems other parties were similarly let down. In his voiceofsandiego.org story on the development, Adrian Florido talks to Kensington and Talmadge residents who were holding out for a Trader Joe’s or Henry’s supermarket. They said they’re unsure if they’ll trade in their current gym memberships to work out at the new YMCA.
Diana Ross of Mid-City CAN said she’s skeptical about whether City Heights residents will be able to afford services offered at the facility.
The plan is a win, however, for those who told HealthyCal.org that the area’s asphalt landscape could use some more recreation space. There are just 1.03 acres of open space per 1,000 residents in City Heights, compared to nearly three acres per 1,000 people citywide, according to Health Equity by Design.
The facility is scheduled to open in 2014. What do you think? Will you use it?