SAN DIEGO (KGTV)— For the past 12 years, the area off of Camino Del Rio in Mission Valley has sat vacant. But now, it's just a couple of donations away from opening as Grant Park.
The Grant family donated the property and envisioned creating a space where kids could enjoy nature and the river.
“It’s what they remember playing, and it’s a special place because of that," Rob Hutsel, the San Diego River Park Foundation CEO, said.
A local family’s dream will soon become a reality thanks to the San Diego River Park Foundation.
For more than a decade, the non-profit has been working to secure the permits and funding to build a community park right next to the San Diego River.
The foundation relies on donations since the City doesn’t fund the park.
Hutsel says they kept hitting hurdles from the pandemic to a rise in costs to ensure all of the impacted agencies are on the same page.
“We went through over 7 years of permitting, maybe close to 8 before we get through it all," he said. "The unknown of state, federal, local governments had opinions trying to come together and keeping the project alive.”
Right now, the project is 80% complete, and you can see it starting to take shape.
The foundation will continue collaborating with the public to get their input on what they want to see in this space.
Hutsel says they’re looking to build a studio where students can use STEM equipment.
"We want to add a building where kids can go inside and use the STEM. And they can use microscopes cool equipment to add to the experience,” he said.
But to make that happen, they need $75,000. Hutsel hopes the community will come together to help them reach this goal.
