Tag: parks

SDSU Aztecs Rugby Club plays UC Davis.

During my walk yesterday through SDSU Mission Valley River Park, I was surprised to see members of San Diego State Aztecs Rugby Club getting ready for a game. They would be playing UC Davis out on a wide swath of the park’s grass. It was the second game of their 2026 season.

I remained at the sidelines for a while to watch the beginning of play. Other fans would gradually gather with their lawn chairs and umbrellas.

SDSU Aztecs Rugby Club competes in Division 1-A in the California Conference. Founded in 1958, the team has a long and proud history. They won the 1987 National Collegiate Rugby Championship.

The action I observed was fast and exciting! I don’t know too much about rugby, but perhaps I’ll have to become a fan! The Aztecs would go on to win 31-38.

If you’d like to watch this victory on YouTube, click here.

To go to a future game, you can follow SDSU Aztec Rugby at this website.

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Orphan baby whale sculpture at La Jolla Shores!

These photographs were taken during a recent walk through La Jolla Shores, at the Kellogg Park playground. What you see is the 16-foot-long life-size bronze sculpture of J.J., an orphaned baby California gray whale.

The malnourished baby whale, near death, was rescued off the coast of Marina del Rey in 1997, and nursed back to health at SeaWorld. She would ultimately be released back into the Pacific Ocean to resume her migration to Alaska.

The sculpture of J.J., which children love to ride and play on, was created by sculptor D. Lynn Reeves. It was commissioned by Friends of La Jolla Shores and was installed at the Kellogg Park playground next to the beach boardwalk in 2011.

Signs posted beside J.J. tell the tale of her rescue and of the creation of her beautiful sculpture.

The image of J.J. also appears in the nearby mosaic Map of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla.

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What makes a good nesting box?

We might be in the middle of winter, but spring will be here before you know it, and birds will be looking to build their nests.

If you’d like to construct a nesting box for your yard or as a community project, how can you make one that bird’s will like, choose and use?

Some useful information is posted in downtown San Diego at the Tweet Street linear park atop Cortez Hill. If you’re into DIY and like to use saw, hammer and nails, here goes:

The wood should not be painted. If you use a nontoxic stain, use lighter colors–sun on dark colors might make the box too hot. Natural wood is excellent.

The entry hole must be sized for the bird you wish to attract, and raised from the nesting box floor to accommodate a nest. Small ventilation holes at the top keep the inside of the nesting box cool.

A slanted roof will allow water to run off, keeping the birds living inside the nesting box dry.

Have a side panel that opens for monitoring and cleaning when the box is not in use.

Put up your box before birds begin to look for suitable nesting sites. (And put it well above the ground somewhere the birds feel safe.)

After the nesting season, use the side panel to clean out the old nest. Ready your nesting box for birds to roost in during the fall and winter, or the following spring.

If you’d like to see photographs of the many cleverly designed birdhouses in Tweet Street Park (and they’re pretty amazing), click here!

As you build your own unique bird house, have fun and be safe!

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Jugando sculpture by Chula Vista Memorial Park.

People walking around Memorial Park in Chula Vista could easily miss this wonderful public art. It’s located on the other side of a fence at the north end of the park. The bronze sculpture depicting a loving mother and two children stands in front of the One Park Apartments.

Jugando is the name of the sculpture. That’s Spanish for the word “playing.” Jugando was created in 1986 by artist Miriam Newman. The graceful figures are very plain, almost featureless. Diverse people who regard these figures might personally relate.

The Smithsonian Institution Art Inventories Catalog describes the work: A woman stands holding a nude baby above her head with both hands. A young girl embraces the woman from the front. Both the woman and the young girl are wearing long, pleated skirts. All three figures are faceless.

I took these photos a couple weeks ago…

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Reinforcing Navy Pier for Freedom Park.

If you’ve walked past the USS Midway Museum lately, you might wonder about that construction activity on Navy Pier. What you’ve observed are workers reinforcing the old pier, site of future Freedom Park, which is scheduled to open in 2028.

The Navy Pier Freedom Park Structural Pier Reinforcement–as a nearby sign proclaims–is being undertaken by the Port of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum.

The old Navy headhouse on the pier’s east end was demolished about a year ago. Now the work is to reinforce the pier with concrete by jet grouting along approximately 380 linear feet of retaining wall. What, you ask, is jet grouting? Here’s the Wikipedia page that explains.

According to a press release from last summer, this reinforcement phase is scheduled to be completed by February 2026.

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Art and nature at Paradise Creek Educational Park!

If you’re ever in National City and in the neighborhood of Paradise Creek Educational Park, you might pay a visit. I enjoyed a ramble through the park a couple weeks ago and found the beauty of nature and surprising public art!

I began at the north end of the park at West 18th Street and Hoover Avenue. That’s where I spied two gorgeous mosaic benches depicting birds and other wildlife. Near the path rose a silvery wing-like sculpture.

I then proceeded over a long curving bridge above the wetland. Arriving at the amphitheater with its shade structure (in the shape of the moon), I discovered colorful art tiles. Students from Kimball Elementary School, which is directly adjacent to the park, have outdoor classes here.

From the amphitheater I walked past the community garden and playground and on, until I reached the south end of the half mile, 6-acre linear park at West 22nd Street, just east of Wilson Avenue. I turned around, headed back, and discovered a flower-like windmill sculpture between the playground and community garden!

Paradise Creek Educational Park was an Urban Greening Project of National City. It was designed by Schmidt Design Group. The park has won multiple awards, including an Orchid from the San Diego Architectural Foundation.

You might enjoy a similar walk on a sunny day. You’ll spot some birds, too!

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Resource Fair for seniors in San Diego!

Are you a senior in San Diego? Do you know a senior?

The City of San Diego will be presenting the AgeWell Services Senior Resource Fair on January 26, 2026. The free event will take place from 10 am to noon at the Park de la Cruz Community Center, which is located at 3901 Landis Street.

At the Senior Resource Fair you can connect with service providers and recreational programs throughout San Diego! It’s healthy and fun to stay active!

You can learn more about this free, very positive event by clicking here.

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Holiday decorations at Old Poway Park!

Imagine my surprise! Nine days until Christmas, and most of the holiday decorations at Old Poway Park are now being taken down!

A worker was removing holiday decorations today as I walked through the historic park. My arrival was just in time to photograph ribbons, wreaths and ornaments before they vanish. Yes, a bit sad.

I was told everything except the lights and Christmas trees (stripped of ornaments) will remain. The big annual “Christmas in the Park” event was held several days ago.

Folks in the Old Poway Park office explained the pre-Christmas removal is being done to preserve the decorations from the weather.

I’m glad I took my Poway walk today and got these photos!

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Pollinator garden planted near Lemon Grove Depot!

A week ago, members of the Lemon Grove volunteer group Revitalize Broadway planted an extensive pollinator garden next to the Lemon Grove Depot trolley station, in what is called Promenade Park. I first read about the project here. I saw the garden today!

Keep in mind the new plants are very small now, but they’ll grow and eventually fill out the garden spaces.

Several informative plaques among the new plantings explain the benefits of native plants, and how they attract a variety of local wildlife, including beneficial insects like butterflies and bees.

If you’d like to learn more about the Revitalize Broadway group and their positive community efforts, click here. Do you live in Lemon Grove? Why not join these good people?

What did I see today?

One plaque describes the life cycle of the monarch butterfly.

Another plaque explains the migration of monarch butterflies and how certain plants provide food sources for declining butterfly populations. Pictured are Yarrow, California Lilac, Pozo Blue Sage, Pacific Aster and Narrow Leaved Milkweed.

Another part of the new garden is slightly depressed and resembles a dry creek. It’s called a rain garden.

Designed to be environmentally friendly, it will help valuable rain water permeate the ground and act as a natural filter.

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Community gathers for Green Corridor Holiday!

A special event was held today in National City, near that city’s border with Southeast San Diego. The Green Corridor Holiday brought together local families to celebrate the holidays and to connect with community organizations.

The Green Corridor is a name for the area north of Division Street and east of Palm Avenue/47th Street. Transforming the bare space, near a tangle of Interstate 805 and ramps, has been the subject of much discussion. Many in the community have advocated making this Green Corridor into a proud cultural center and green space.

I was told many would also love to have the freeway pillars painted with beautiful murals–a sort of smaller Chicano Park. I’m no expert concerning the project, or where it stands, but it all sounds great to me! The place does seem ideally located for a native garden and park.

The Green Corridor Holiday event brought families together for music, tasty food, arts and crafts, a toy distribution, a tree giveaway, fun with Santa Claus and the Grinch, and Azteca dancing (which I unfortunately missed). I did notice an artist was painting one of the freeway pillars.

Organizations working to improve the neighborhood were present, including Mundo Gardens, the Urban Collaborative Project, Caltrans, the San Diego Library, and others. They were happy to connect with one and all, listen to community members, and provide empowering information.

If you’d like to get involved, check out the two links above!

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