CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — After being close more than a year, neighbors in Chula Vista will once again get to visit Lauderbach Park.
Chula Vista civic leaders and community members gathered Wednesday morning for the reopening ceremony. Neighbors say the upgrades were much needed.
“It was very dirty, like trash,” says Chula Vista grandmother Leticia Dorado.
“At certain times of the day it felt unsafe,” says Brian Castro. “They did beautify a lot of it. There's grass again.”
The park, at 333 Oxford St., adjacent to J Calvin Lauderbach Elementary School, now features new basketball courts which have lines for two pickleball courts -- players need to bring their own net -- a new synthetic turf multi-purpose field, new sidewalks, field lighting and more.
According to the city, funding for the project included a $1 million state parks grant and $820,000 from Measure P, the half-cent, 10-year sales tax passed by Chula Vista voters in 2016.
“I want to see more people around here,” says Beatriz Nunez, who lives in the area. “I want to see healthy families around, children.”
The 3.9-acre park also features two "tot lots," restrooms and picnic areas. Rick Engineering provided the design and 3Sixty Innovations was the contractor for the renovation project.
“Parks, libraries, anything that is a public area really brings people together,” says Castro. “It also makes an easy way to access, to have access those fun activities, that we like to do like sports.”
City News Service contributed to this report.
