CARLSBAD — Standing at a podium in front of an excavator on Monday before the official groundbreaking of Veterans Memorial Park, Mayor Keith Blackburn wanted to introduce and thank many of those in attendance.
Before introducing the elected officials — “important people,” as he called them while making air quotes — he asked active-duty and former military members, along with their families, to stand.
“Somebody told me, ‘Don’t say, ‘thank you for your service,’ say, ‘thank you for our freedom,’’” Blackburn said. “So thank you so much.”
The mayor, flanked by elected officials from the city, state and federal levels, broke ground on Veterans Memorial Park on July 6 after a yearslong effort.
In February 2021, the Carlsbad City Council approved the concept plan for the 93.7-acre park, just north of The Crossings golf course, after years of informal discussions and exploration of ideas. Earlier this year, the council awarded a nearly $39 million construction contract to BrightView Landscape Development to build much of the park.
Construction is expected to take 22 to 24 months.
Located near the intersection of Cannon Road and Faraday Avenue, Veterans Memorial Park will be the city’s largest park. Of its 93.7 acres, 54.9 acres will be preserved as habitat, while the remaining 38.8 acres will include three playgrounds, an inclusive play area, picnic and gathering spaces, a bike track, outdoor fitness areas, accessible pathways and connections to the city’s trail network, according to city documents.
Veterans Memorial Plaza will be located at the highest point of the property and will include panels, mottos and other references to each branch of the U.S. military. The park will also feature a public art piece called “The Ring,” which frames views of the coastline and Agua Hedionda Lagoon.
Standing at the future plaza site, Nick Stupin, the city’s parks planning manager, said maintaining open space and the site’s peaceful character were “things we didn’t want to take away from this site by over-development.”
“Anything we’re building in the park is reflecting nature,” Stupin said.
He said gathering spaces throughout the park, along with activity areas, let visitors “know that everyone’s welcome.”
The city has approved a budget of more than $57 million for the project. The largest share, $49.2 million, comes from the city’s Community Facilities District 1 Fund, according to city documents.
The remainder comes from a $5 million state grant and a $3 million federal grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, D-Encinitas, and Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, both of whom attended the July 6 groundbreaking, helped secure funding for the project.
“I did say it was the one time I can trump the federal government,” Boerner said, drawing laughter. “I went to the speaker, I was like, ‘I need $5 million for this project.’”
Levin said helping secure federal funding for the project “was an absolute no-brainer.”
“For those of us who have families of all shapes and sizes in this community, this park represents the kind of forward thinking that respects and protects what makes Carlsbad special for the long term,” said Councilmember Teresa Acosta.
Councilmember Melanie Burkholder called it “fitting and apt” to break ground on the project just after celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary.
Mayor Pro Tem Priya Bhat-Patel said she hoped the park would show “that service isn’t something that is abstract” but central to the experiences of “all of these different families that have built not only our community, but this nation.”
John Hernandez, senior vice state commander of California’s Veterans of Foreign Wars, told The Coast News that, having attended groundbreaking ceremonies for other veterans’ memorials, this one stood out for its scale.
“This is huge, this is by far the largest one in the state of California that I know of,” Hernandez said. “Nothing comes close to this.”
Paula Jansen, the state’s VFW commander, said she looked forward to returning when the park opens to the public.
“It’s always wonderful,” Jansen said.
In his remarks, Councilmember Kevin Shin, a Marine veteran, said he becomes emotional when thinking about the park as a veteran. Shin ended by speaking directly to the former service members in attendance.
“My fellow veterans, welcome to your park and Semper Fidelis,” Shin said.
“Oorah,” they replied.
