CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Chula Vista's Harborside Park is set to partially begin reopening within six months after the city closed it last year when homeless encampments, crime and drug use forced the city to close it down.
"When I was young I used to ride my bike there, play football," said Scott Stapleton.
Stapleton grew up down the street and remembers when it first opened. He is now raising his daughter in this same community. The park has caused worry for many parents like him with kids at Harborside Elementary. The school is right next door to the park.
"Whatever the kids see while they're at recess playing, whatever is going on they can see it," he said.
The city's reopening plan hopes to change this. Along with opening the basketball courts and planting grass, Mayor John McCann says they will be setting up a station for a park ranger.
"To make sure we have eyes on the part, that they can enforce the rules and families and children are welcomed," he said.
Mayor McCann said the city's new homeless shelter that opened last week will help prevent unhoused people from sleeping in the park.
"The bridge shelter has 65 little homes. Each home can house two people so you can have a couple or a homeless person with a child," he said.
This Phase 1 Plan for the park will be presented at Tuesday's city council meeting. The city is exploring ideas for more improvements in the future and wants community input for the Phase 2 Plan.
WATCH RELATED: Chula Vista mayor says Harborside Park could partially reopen soon (April 2023).