TeWinkle Park plans going to final vote

Deirdre Newman

The final decision on the final master plan for the city’s most

heavily used park will be made tonight.

The Planning Commission will consider the TeWinkle Park Master

Plan and is the final authority on it, unless, of course, its

decision is appealed to the City Council.

Once the plan is approved, it is dependent on funding to make the

pieces come to life.

“If we can get funding, there can be some significant improvements

to prevent it from becoming a dilapidated park,” Commissioner Katrina

Foley said. “Improvements that will make it a better park for the

community and neighborhood.”

The plan includes the redesign of the existing four-field complex

to a facility for baseball and softball only; new tennis, volleyball

and basketball courts; an alternate site for a 20,000-square-foot

permanent skate facility; lake renovation and proposed median

improvements on Junipero Drive.

Tonight, the commission will make final decisions on the

skateboard park, community center and half-court basketball courts.

The most contentious issue has been the skate park site.

In August, the Parks and Recreation Commission considered a

request from the Costa Mesa Bark Park Foundation for another

off-leash dog park at the same site that had been designated as a

skate park site. The parks commission reaffirmed the alternative use

of the site as a skate park.

The parks commission also recommended eliminating the pedestrian

bridge, eliminating a community center from the Davis School site,

eliminating the tot lot near the northeast ball field and keeping the

half-court basketball courts at standard height.

Chair Bruce Garlich said he anticipates another heated discussion

among bark park and skate park advocates as they get one more chance

to plead their cases.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].