In June, La Jolla Shores Association got an update on restoration of The Map project, with Mary Munk, representing nonprofit Friends of La Jolla Shores, pledging to kick in $275,000 to complete it.
The Map is a 2,300-square-foot educational plaza at Kellogg Park depicting marine life at La Jolla Shores and completed by contractors T.B. Penick & Sons, Inc. and Shaw & Sons, Inc. The Map has seriously deteriorated since the contractors completed the project in September of 2008. Friends of La Jolla Shores spearheaded the project.
A subsequent lawsuit filed against the contractors alleged fraud, deceit, misrepresentation and negligence. The Map has been used primarily as an education tool for visiting students to inform them of the wildlife offshore in La Jolla’s underwater canyons.
Negotiations between the parties have led the contractors to agree to replace The Map with new materials. The city recently replaced the upper layer of The Map with decomposed granite as an interim measure.
“The good news is The Map is gone,” Munk said, “and (city) Park and Rec has been kind enough to fund Pennick’s removal of all the damaged bronze (fish) pieces. The current status is that we are working with city Park and Rec, hoping to come up with a plan that everybody is happy with.”
Munk said problems with divers and others crossing over The Map and gradually wearing it out has led to discussion of fencing the area off and providing access to it via a single access point, making the educational resource “a destination rather than a thoroughfare.”
Munk said, however, the city expressed concern over limiting access to The Map.
Munk said superior materials are being used to restore the map this time around, adding that “Cleanliness is going to be the problem. We need to limit through-traffic in order to keep it clean.”
“I really like this iteration of the proposed fence,” agreed association board member and immediate past president Tim Lucas. “We do need to limit traffic through The Map to keep it clean and really make it a safe area for visiting classrooms. This is a win-win.”