Costa Mesa residents might be seeing citywide park improvements after officials reviewed a report that found many playgrounds and public amenities are outdated and require maintenance.
It comes as city council members voted unanimously to more than double the size of the Costa Mesa Skatepark.
[Read: Costa Mesa’s Skatepark to Double in Size]
According to the Trust for Public Lands, 67% of Costa Mesa residents live within a 10-minute walk of a public park.
The Trust for Public Lands found that 5% of land in the city is dedicated to public parks – far below master-planned Irvine’s 28%, which puts the city as number two in the nation on the Parkscore.
Costa Mesa Parks and Community Services Commission members reviewed a park and playground assessment that analyzed all city parks and identified areas for improvement during a special meeting in late February.
The report is meant to guide future upgrades for each individual park for years to come.
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Geisler Park, Harper Park, Lindbergh Park, Raina View Park and Moon Park were all among those identified with significant need for upgrades.
Costa Mesa currently sustains 32 parks and 38 playground structures throughout the city — 22 of those playgrounds were installed more than 25 years ago, which almost doubles the typical 10 to 15 year lifespan of park equipment.
“With good maintenance practices… a playground can last as many as 20 years. So, majority of our playground structures are beyond that useful life stage,” Parks and Community Services Director Brian Gruner said at the meeting on Feb. 26.
The assessment evaluated several aspects of each park, including the playground structure, sports courts, walking paths and landscaping. Each category was rated on a one-to-five scale, with one indicating being in the worst condition and five being excellent.
The report ranked parks based on level of priority for each fix by using a letter grading system. Parks that received low scores were considered higher priorities for upgrades in the city’s improvement plans.
Moon Park in particular drew attention during the meeting after receiving one of the lowest rated reviews. Commissioners noted that the park’s overall condition could be up for future improvements as the city is yet to decide where to prioritize funding.
Residents also weighed in, with some speakers expressing passionate feelings toward park renovation, especially Moon Park.
“The park has clearly seen better days with aged and decades-old equipment, garbage, drug paraphernalia and unhoused persons,” Costa Mesa resident Nicholas Sweetman wrote in a comment submitted to the commission. “Therefore, budget and resources need to be invested into this sub-standard park relative to others in Costa Mesa.”
Several residents who live near Moon Park specifically said the poor park conditions have discouraged families from using it. Some locals argued the playground equipment is outdated and litter is everywhere.
“Moon Park should be the park our family uses … Instead, my wife and kids avoid it entirely,” resident Garrett Fulbright wrote to the commission.
City officials acknowledged that many parks throughout Costa Mesa face similar issues as aging infrastructures are continuing to exceed their lifespan. Staff say the assessment is meant to help the city improve and determine where the city’s attention will be at first.
It also comes as city officials are rolling out a $2.5 million plan to renovate the iconic lakes at the city’s TeWinkle Park.
[Read: Rehabilitating the Iconic Lakes At Costa Mesa’s TeWinkle Park]
The park and playground assessment provides goals of what the city’s parks could look like in the long term. By identifying parks with the most required improvements, city leaders hope to guarantee renovation for local parks in the years ahead.
Commissioners are currently visiting parks across town to familiarize themselves with needs for improvement.
“It’s not about aesthetics, it’s not about upgrades,” one Costa Mesa resident said at the meeting.
“It’s about child safety, equity and responsible public investment.”
