The Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista broke ground last week on a $15 million expansion of Harbor Park, adding a nautical-themed playground, splash pad and other amenities to the southern end of the bayfront park formerly known as Bayside Park.
The improvements will nearly double the park’s size, from approximately 12 to 25 acres. Combined with the 39-acre Sweetwater Park, which opened last spring alongside the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, the buildout brings the total new public park space on the Chula Vista Bayfront to 51 acres.
“A key goal of the Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment is to deliver more coastal access for everyone who lives, works, and plays on and around San Diego Bay,” said Port of San Diego Board Chair Ann Moore. “We have added 12 more acres of parkland to the Chula Vista Bayfront that will not only expand opportunities for recreation, but we are also strengthening our community’s connection to the water.”
The south phase of the project includes accessible pathways, new landscaping, pedestrian lighting, picnic tables, benches, shade structures and a new park entrance from the roundabout at the west end of H Street. A temporary segment of Sandpiper Way will be permanently closed and converted into park space.
Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista officials break ground on improvements to Harbor Park on Tuesday in Chula Vista. The $15 million project will add a nautical-themed playground, splash pad and other amenities to the bayfront park, nearly doubling its size from approximately 12 to 25 acres. (Port of San Diego)
The California Coastal Conservancy contributed a $6.6 million grant toward the project, with up to $2.26 million allocated to the south phase. The Port awarded a design-build contract to BNBuilders in June 2025, and the Port’s board authorized two Guaranteed Maximum Price contracts for the playground and splash pad components in February.
“Harbor Park’s transformation is a big win for Chula Vista,” said Mayor John McCann. “By doubling this park’s size and adding new family-friendly amenities, we’re creating more access to our bayfront and more opportunities for our community to gather, play, and thrive.”
The groundbreaking comes as Chula Vista pursues a broader bayfront development agenda that includes the Amara Bay luxury housing project, the proposed Pangea sports and recreation complex, and plans for an entertainment district featuring film studios in eastern Chula Vista.
City officials have pointed to the Gaylord — which has generated more than $88 million in revenue for the city since its May 2025 opening, according to McCann — as evidence that large-scale development can succeed in the South Bay.
Final plans and specifications for the splash pad are expected to go before the Port’s Board of Commissioners in April.