SAN DIEGO, CA — The county Board of Supervisors Wednesday approved by a 4-0 vote an agreement to upgrade and rename the Miracle Field at San Dieguito Park as Padres Park, a project the board chair described as “a fully inclusive baseball field where athletes of all abilities can play, compete and belong.”
Voting on consent — Supervisor Jim Desmond said he was recusing himself due to a potential conflict of interest — the board approved the partnership among the county, the Miracle League of San Diego, San Diego Padres and the Padres Foundation.
The $850,000 project will replace the field’s rubber surface with material that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and also “supports wheelchairs and mobility aids, reduces fall risk and remains cool underfoot — ensuring the field continues to meet the highest standards for safety and accessibility,” according to a statement from Terra Lawson-Remer’s office.
“The new surface will also proudly feature the San Diego Padres logo,” her office added. During the Wednesday meeting, Lawson-Remer said she was excited to move forward with the project. “It’s gonna be really great for the kids,” she added.
To pay for the field revamp, the Miracle League of San Diego raised $600,000, with $250,000 from the Padres Foundation, $310,000 from individuals and foundations, $40,000 from the supervisor’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Program; and $250,000 from the county Department of Parks and Recreation.
According to information on the supervisors’ Wednesday agenda, estimated field maintenance and program costs are $10,000 per year, but will be provided through league user fees and concessions revenue, along with efforts by Miracle League volunteers.
San Dieguito Park was first opened in 1965 and is located between the communities of Del Mar and Solana Beach. The field upgrade is expected to get underway in December and finished in January, according to Lawson-Remer’s office.
“Padres Park will be a field where every child and adult, no matter their ability, can feel the joy of the game, the pride of their team, and the support of their community,” Lawson-Remer said in a statement.
Working with the Miracle League and the Padres “embodies what makes San Diego special: when we work together, we make inclusion real,” she added.
A nonprofit founded 20 years ago, the Miracle League of San Diego “gives children and adults with special needs the opportunity to play baseball in an organized league,” according to Lawson-Remer’s office.
Over 330 athletes use fields at San Dieguito Park and Bell Middle School (located in the South Bay) every season via the Miracle League’s Nurturing Philanthropic Souls initiative.
Dan Engel, the Miracle League founder, said in a statement that athletes “will have a new field worthy of their incredible spirit. Padres Park will be more than a ballfield — it will be a home for our community for another 20 years.”
Padres CEO Erik Greupner said the field project “will ensure continued access to the great game of baseball for young athletes of all abilities and their families.”
“The Padres directly and through our charitable foundation, annually put several million dollars and thousands of volunteer hours into the community we call home, particularly in support of underserved communities,” Greupner added.
Tom Seidler, Padres Foundation president, said every San Diegan “should have the chance to experience the joy of baseball, and Padres Park will continue the 20-year legacy of the Miracle League for generations to come.”
— City News Service