CHULA VISTA, Calif. — The first steps to start the process to reopen Harborside Park were announced at Tuesday’s Chula Vista City Council meeting.
Chula Vista gave the greenlight for phase one as they gave direction to what phase two should look like.
Approving phase one means that construction can start with replacing a temporary chain linked fence with permanent fencing.
A ranger station for park rangers is also in the works, with a goal of keeping an eye on visitors and enforcing rules.
“That ranger station is really key because that ranger station will provide office space for not just our ranger program but also our police officers,” said the city clerk.
As for phase two, city council members suggested the possibility of building a recreation center on a section of the park.
Councilmember Andrea Cardenas is in charge of district four where the park is located.
She suggested building affordable housing at the park. All members of the council, except Mayor John McCann, agreed to that idea.
“They wanted it to continue to be a park, I can't approve or move forward on an item that is going to analyze the surplus land act,” said McCann.
As plans move forward to open the park, community members are still concerned about the proximity of the park and the health and human services building.
Some say the issues of having homeless people camping at the park will not be resolved.
The meeting comes a week after Chula Vista opened a homeless shelter that includes 65 tiny homes.
Revitalization has already started with the installation of security cameras at the park.
WATCH RELATED: Harborside Park set to partially reopen in Chula Vista (May 2023).