The Carlsbad City Council joined military veterans, community members, and state and federal elected officials July 6 to officially break ground on Veterans Memorial Park. The new 93.7-acre park will be located near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road. It will offer a wide range of amenities, a Veterans Memorial Plaza and preserve nearly half the site as open space.
“After years of planning, partnership and community outreach, we are proud to break ground on what will be Carlsbad’s largest park. It’s especially fitting that this space will honor our nation’s veterans as we mark the country’s 250th anniversary,” said City Manager, Geoff Patnoe.
“This park was thoughtfully designed to reflect what our community told us they wanted,” said Parks & Recreation Director, Kyle Lancaster. “It will provide a range of amenities and open spaces that support both active use and quiet reflection, while creating a meaningful place to honor our nation’s veterans.”
Veterans Memorial Park features and amenities
The park will serve as a dedicated place to recognize and honor the nation’s veterans, the first of its kind in Carlsbad. Designed with community input, it will include spaces for quiet contemplation as well as active uses, such as the city’s first bike park and a nature-inspired playground.
Here’s a look at what’s planned:
- Veterans Memorial Plaza with six descriptive panels honoring each branch of the U.S. military, bronze inlaid mottos, a flagpole, a small platform, and perimeter seating
- Public art located separately on the upper plateau with panoramic views of the coastline and Agua Hedionda Lagoon
- An inclusive playground and open recreational areas
- Picnic areas and family gathering spaces
- Bike park with nearby shaded plaza and spectator seating
- Outdoor fitness areas and a fitness climb to the upper plateau
- Buildings with restrooms and support space for community events
- Two parking lots with drop-off areas and electric vehicle charging stations
- Connections to the citywide trail network
The north and south portions of the park will be connected by passive open space, with a prominent public art feature in between, near the site’s high point.
Congressman Mike Levin and Assemblymember Tasha Boerner attended the groundbreaking ceremony, both helped secure federal and state funding for the park. Congressman Levin secured a $3 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Assemblymenber Boerner secured a $5 million grant from the State of California Natural Resources Agency.
The San Diego Veteran Honor Color Guard also participated in the event.
Construction timeline
Construction on Veterans Memorial Park is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
Project Background
The combined Veterans Memorial Park and nearby road improvements along Faraday Avenue are estimated to cost about $58 million. The city secured reimbursement agreements for $8 million in federal and state grant funding, including an agreement for $3 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and an agreement for $5 million from the California Natural Resources Agency. Those project costs will be initially funded through the city’s Community Facilities District No. 1 Fund and will be eligible for reimbursement from the federal and state governments based on the city’s fulfillment of the conditions of the agreements.
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Veterans Memorial Park
