VISTA — The Vista City Council reviewed a final master plan for local parks and recreation centers last week, which included an assessment of needed improvements and concluded an 18-month process informed by input from over 1,200 residents.
The plan was developed by Next Practice Partners LLC, a consultant contracted by the city in 2023, with landscape plans from RHA Landscapers. The proposal includes resident feedback on desired amenities, an inventory of needed improvements, and plans for future parks along Matagual Drive and adjacent to the Vista Courthouse.
Based on residents’ feedback and mapping of existing facilities, the plan states that Vista needs more mini parks, playgrounds, splash pads, dog parks, and shade structures — needs expected to be met by 2035 through planned and upcoming developments — as well as neighborhood parks, basketball courts, tennis courts, multipurpose fields, picnic shelters, outdoor pools, and indoor fitness and recreation amenities.
Reviewing the plan at the Dec. 9 City Council meeting, Vista leaders said it is a “living document” to be updated as the city continues to check off worklist items and identify new needs.
“It’s something that we can go back to, but it sets a foundation for what we would like to accomplish,” said Councilmember Katie Melendez. “As we’re looking to spend capital improvement dollars, we really do have some concrete survey data that’s going to help us to make really prudent decisions as a city as to what those priorities are.”
The master plan outlined 10 priority actions for the city, with big-ticket items being the renovation of Brengle Terrace Park and the development of new parks at Breeze Hill Road, Matagual Drive, and Paseo Buena Vista.
Other priority actions include:
- Acquire new parkland in underserved areas,
- Increase tree canopy in needed areas,
- Expand multi-use trails and add walking paths in existing parks,
- Expand senior programs and youth/teen offerings,
- Increase water fitness and lap swimming/add splash pads,
- Replace aging playgrounds, courts, structures,
- Implement tiered maintenance standards,
- Conduct a fee study/explore grants and other partnerships,
- Increase multilingual marketing and launch a dedicated social media page for recreation.
Residents’ top priorities for facilities and amenities were multi-use trails and walking paths, large community parks, swimming pools, small neighborhood parks, open space conservation areas, and off-leash dog areas.
Respondents also identified priorities for parks and recreation programming. Coming out on top were adult fitness and wellness programs, outdoor environmental and nature camps, water fitness and lap swimming, senior programs, audiovisual arts and crafts, special events, and swim lessons.
Neely Bhatt, CEO of Next Practice Partners, said input came from Vistans of all ages via in-person workshops and online surveys. The level of youth involvement was also something not seen in many cities, he said.
“We’ve had from high school students, to people who’ve lived in the community for decades as well, all engage and be part of the process, and it was particularly nice to see how many of the youth were involved in planning for the future,” Bhat said.
Community members also assessed the city’s existing parks, ranking elements such as accessibility, condition and functionality, safety and comfort, and maintenance on a 0-5 scale.
Most parks earned an overall score between 3 and 4. Linda Rhoades Recreation Center ranked lowest with an overall score of 2.61, followed by Soroptimist Parkette at 2.79.
City staff said there are currently no plans to improve these low-ranked parks, but they will revisit the topic for future discussions and monitor grant opportunities.
Common areas of need for local parks identified by residents included:
- Better lighting and improved ADA access,
- Increased maintenance like trash removal, habitat restoration and weed management,
- Enhanced trails with additional benches and repaired railings,
- Additional features like tennis courts, pump tracks, basketball or pickleball courts, and off-leash dog areas,
- Management of homeless activity in recreation areas by clearing encampments and securing bathrooms.
Councilmember Corinna Contreras said she has been advocating for improved lighting across the city, including near Linda Rhoades.
“When it gets dark, there is no visibility,” Contreras said. “There’s so many other places in our parks that I think could really be improved with some of our solar lights.”
The Wave Waterpark is also discussed in the parks master plan, which identifies millions of dollars in repairs needed over the coming years. In August, the council approved $3.5 million in improvements for the beloved waterpark.
Future parks
The master plan also includes designs for two future parks introduced earlier this year — one on a property on Matagual Road near the Vale View neighborhood, and one at a vacant site next to the Vista Courthouse along Breeze Hill Road — as well as improvements to Brengle Terrace Park and Wiivay Park (also known as Paseo Buena Vista Park).
The 2.2-acre Matagual Park project is expected to cost around $6.4 million, with the city acquiring the land for $2.1 million in 2023. Planned amenities include a walking path, fitness station, inclusive playground, picnic tables with shade, small- and large-dog park areas, restrooms, and perimeter fencing.
Because the park follows the curve of a two-way road near state Route 78, Councilmember Dan O’Donnell insisted on safeguards to keep cars out of the park and prevent children from running into the road.
“There needs to be protection outside that gate to ensure that no cars can access or run into it and damage the fence. The gates, and I cannot emphasize this enough, must be self-closing on areas of access,” O’Donnell said.
The 4.2-acre park on Breeze Hill Road (not to be confused with the existing Breeze Hill Park) will cost around $8.5 million. Plans include designs for walking paths, a restroom, an inclusive playground with shade, bench seating, fenced small- and large-dog park areas, a splash pad, exercise equipment and tables in the shade, and pickleball courts in an adjacent parking lot.
Mayor John Franklin noted strong citywide support for splash pads.
“I think that would really be a benefit to a lot of families in our city, to have a free place to go splash and get wet for the little ones. So, I’m strongly in favor of that. I think we should work together to get that done as soon as possible,” Franklin said.
Another mini park planned for the corner of Avenue de Benito Juarez and Avenida de la Plaza will also include a splash pad, city staff confirmed. Designs for the park are still being finalized, and construction is expected to start in about a year.
Vista is also planning around $17 million in needed improvements at Brengle Terrace Park. This includes adding 287 parking spaces for the Moonlight Amphitheatre along Jim Porter Parkway and a new walking path from the lot to the theater.
The city is also planning to add a small building for theatre operations, a new splash pad next to the sand volleyball court, renovations to the existing volleyball courts and restrooms, and a new pathway from the pickleball and tennis courts to the restroom at Brengle Terrace.
Wíivay Park opened in October following the completion of the first phase of work, including a small loop trail, exercise stations and yoga pads, seating areas, and various markers and placards identifying native vegetation and the contributions of the Luiseño people.
Additional planned improvements include turf, fenced dog park areas, and tables with shade.
New deputy mayor
The council also agreed at the Dec. 9 meeting to designate O’Donnell as the new deputy mayor of Vista in 2026, who will preside over meetings in the mayor’s absence or when the mayor is unable to act.
Melendez, who has served as deputy mayor for the past two years, nominated O’Donnell. She noted O’Donnell’s focus on the wider Vista community beyond just his district and his engagement with the community via town halls.
“I think that you’ve facilitated discussions on topics that appeal to not only your district, but to the broader community,” Melendez said. “I think that we need that energy to continue.”
O’Donnell said he would be honored to serve as deputy mayor and would focus on homelessness, parks, and small-business support.
“I believe that there’s a lot that we can work on, and I look forward to working alongside the mayor and the rest of this council over the next year trying to make sure that we can continue tackling things like homelessness and adding more parks,” he said. “Every community in our city is impacted by storefronts that are empty right now, and I think that needs to be a huge push over the next 12 months to make sure that we can fill those gaps and strengthen our small business community.”
The council approved the nomination 4-1, with Franklin opposed.
