Spirits were high on La Jolla’s Coast Walk Trail as a ceremonial ribbon was cut and new plaques were unveiled at the trail’s recently repaired bridge.
In recent months, Friends of Coast Walk Trail shepherded a project in partnership with the city of San Diego to install new decking and railings for the old wooden bridge and repairs to the south stairs, which were completed in September. The roughly $125,000 project was paid for through grants and private donations.
Because of the efforts of donors and Friends of Coast Walk Trail volunteers, “this bridge shows the city we are capable of doing [these] projects,” Friends President Brenda Fake said at a ceremony Nov. 4.
Fake acknowledged two pairs of “major donors” who collectively gave enough to cover 45% of the project’s total cost: John and Jamie Colby and Dave and Joyce Abrams.
To recognize their donations, boulders with plaques on them were unveiled at each end of the bridge. The Colby plaque honored their dog Bailey, and the Abrams plaque honored their late relatives Matt and Elwood Abrams.
Fake said the bridge repair could lead to other projects in the area, though she said “This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and there’s a lot of twists and turns. [But as] we chip away, we make a difference.” ♦