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Murrieta parks commissioners prioritize master‑plan projects; pool rebuild estimated at $10–$20 million
Summary
At a Jan. 15 special meeting, Murrieta’s Parks & Recreation Commission discussed implementation priorities from recently adopted parks and trails master plans, focusing debate on Pioneer Park infrastructure, the Cal Oaks pool rebuild (estimated $10–$20 million), vandalism costs and camera installations.
Murrieta — The Parks & Recreation Commission on Jan. 15 reviewed strategic priorities tied to the city’s recently adopted Parks & Recreation and Trails master plans and recommended issues for the city council’s Feb. 26 goals workshop.
Staff framed a three‑tier prioritization system for projects: “Tier 1 means that it’s funded and it’s basically ready to go,” staff told commissioners, while Tier 2 projects may have partial funding and Tier 3 projects were described as conceptual and likely to require grants or new funding. Commissioners were asked to identify which items should move forward for council consideration.
A central focus of the discussion was Pioneer Park, a roughly seven‑ to eight‑acre parcel that has been on the city’s books for decades. Commissioners and staff said the site lacks municipal water and sewer connections, making development costly and complex. One commissioner noted that without a dedicated consultant and permitting work to bring potable water to Kalmia Avenue, progress would be limited; staff estimated initial permitting and water‑line work could exceed $100,000.
Rebuilding the Cal Oaks pool drew repeated attention as a high‑cost priority. Municipal staff said a full reconstruction is under consideration and that cost estimates now sit between $10 million and $20 million. “It is a priority of the city council to reconstruct the pool,” a municipal staff speaker said, but staff added that other citywide priorities — including fire station work and a public‑safety training center — may compete for capital funds. Staff said the pool concepts are currently schematic sketches and that the next step would be specification and design work to generate firm cost estimates.
Commissioners discussed alternatives such as splash pads, which are less expensive and require fewer lifeguards and operational costs; staff identified Alderwood Park as a potential splash‑pad site in concept plans.
Park vandalism and public safety were another major thread. Staff reported a recent spike in vandalism at several parks and said roughly $30,000 was spent on repairs over a two‑ to three‑month period. To address recurring vandalism, staff said infrastructure work for a Flock camera system is underway: Torrey Pines Park has most cameras installed, and trenching at California Oaks is complete. Staff said full camera installation and training are expected in February, subject to arrival of backordered equipment.
Commissioners asked staff to compile recommendations for council, including phased steps for long‑term, unfunded projects such as Pioneer Park (hiring a consultant to scope infrastructure needs) and combining small capital balances to complete backlog projects at Cal Oaks (fencing, lighting and restroom renovations). Commissioners also suggested public outreach to show the fiscal cost of vandalism and increase community awareness.
The commission adopted the consent calendar earlier in the meeting and agreed to forward its prioritized recommendations to city council ahead of the February goals workshop.
