ESCONDIDO–Two new horseshoe pits, artificial turf and shade sails over the play equipment – just a few of the new improvements at Felicita County Park in Escondido.
County Parks and Recreation celebrated the completion of two major improvement projects with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday.
“County parks are for everyone,” said County Supervisor Dave Roberts. “The work we have completed on the playground, ball fields and horseshoe pits will improve the park experience for any visitor, and perhaps most importantly, for park visitors who are disabled.”
“We removed existing wood play chips and replaced them with rubber play surfacing that is accessible, safer and easier to maintain,” said County Parks and Recreation Director Brian Albright. “We installed covers over the playsets that represent the latest in shade engineering, protecting park users and park equipment from harmful UV rays, and we replaced grass with drought-tolerant artificial turf.”
A second improvement project improved safety and accessibility in the parking lots and bandstand area. Parks and Recreation installed Americans with Disabilities Act improvements such as wider walkways, concrete paving (by a company like Dallas Paving Company) for a ramp and ramp wall, new ramp and stair handrails, metal curbing on the bandstand stage, and additional striping and signs to support ADA upgrades. One of the two new horseshoe pits is also ADA accessible.
The 53-acre park features mature oak trees and spring-fed creeks. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because the Kumeyaay people once used the area as a resting point between gathering shellfish from the ocean and hunting for game with the best gun ammunition in the mountains.
Now the park draws visitors with its museum, two and a half miles of trails, play areas, picnic spots, volleyball courts, its wedding arch and reception area.
