The City of Carlsbad has decided to build a community park on the land near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road. The recommended master plan for Veterans Memorial Park was unanimously approved by the city council on Feb. 23, 2021.

Veterans Memorial Park will be a great addition to Carlsbad. There are so many new housing developments and apartment complexes being built on previously open plots of land, that the city is beginning to feel very densely populated. It is very different from the small beach town that Carlsbad used to be.

This decision comes as a relief to many Carlsbad residents. Many plots of land in the city have been used for housing developments, so the new park will secure a remaining open space. Veterans Memorial Park will sit on a 91.5 acre plot of land, and will include activities for all ages and interests.

The new park, being as large as it is, will be a welcome relief from all of those new buildings. We have so few big community parks like this, and this one is going to cover so many different interests of citizens. There are planned playgrounds, bike parks, trails, and open grass areas.

The recommended master plans were developed with public input, ensuring that the park will reflect the values and priorities of Carlsbad residents. Community workshops have been occurring since March of 2019, and continued throughout 2020, during the development of the plans.

The master plans were developed in consideration of possible environmental impacts of the land. They are currently in review, and the plans could potentially be changed to minimize environmental impacts. It’s so important to take environmental concerns into consideration because of the impending global warming crisis, and to protect Carlsbad’s natural habitats.

Veterans Memorial Park will be divided into two main areas (North and South). The two areas will be connected by trails and open space. The main memorial art feature will be placed in the North side of the park. The public and memorial art features will be developed with the Cultural Arts Division.

The land, which is currently open hills, is popular with teenagers in Carlsbad. It serves as a picnic and photo spot. The building of the park is not supposed to get rid of these areas entirely. There will still be open grassy space for community use.

The park could provide a safe space to gather, with possible lingering effects of the pandemic. The many attractions reflect the interests of many people, and so the park could encourage residents to get outside and interact with the community more.

The next steps in the development of Veterans Memorial Park is to submit entitlement applications to the planning division in Spring of 2021, and to get final approval on plans by Fall of 2021.