The community came together for the reopening of west Chula Vista’s Harborside Park after more than two years of the park’s closure. The reopening event included ribbon-cutting, an official first kick and scrimmages on the new pitch, food, and music. The renovated park is now home to a new soccer mini-pitch open for play, along with a resodded field, improved lighting and security, and other improvements.
The new Musco Mini-Pitch System, which includes a hard-court surface suited for soccer programs and pick-up play, was also part of the park renovations
The upgrades were possible due to funding and collaboration from professional soccer player and Chula Vista native Paul Arriola, the City of Chula Vista, Target, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation.
“The reopening of Harborside Park is a wonderful addition to this West Chula Vista community,” said Mayor John McCann in a press release. “It signals our commitment to provide outstanding recreation facilities for all neighborhoods in our city.”
The new mini-pitch is one of more than 750 mini-pitches that the U.S. Soccer Foundation has created for play across the U.S. Data from the U.S. Soccer Foundation shows that 99% say that their community is more active after installation of a mini-pitch and 98% say the community feels safer.
“We are thrilled to open a new mini-pitch with the City of Chula Vista, Paul Arriola, and Target,” said Jennifer Arnold, vice president at the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “As soccer has a moment here in the U.S., our U.S. Soccer Foundation team is ensuring that millions of kids in under-resourced communities do too. This new mini-pitch is another safe place for hundreds of young people to play and benefit from our game.”
Harborside Park was closed in August 2022 after the park was scrutinized as having been taken over by the unsheltered, with reported drug use in the area, increasing crime rates, and its proximity to Harborside Elementary School.
