In April, La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc. was updated on Children’s Pool beautification, dockless bikes and the status of the Coast Walk Trail project.
Noting the summer construction moratorium is being waived to hasten construction, city officials told community planners Children’s Pool infrastructure improvements, seven years in the process, are finally coming to fruition. 
The beautification project, spearheaded by LJPB board member Phyllis Minick, calls for walkway improvements to enhance pedestrian flow. Double-seat walls and shade trees are to be introduced, while repairs are made to the existing gazebo. Interpretive/historical/educational signage is to be added and native plants are to be used to control bluff erosion.
“It’s been a long time to come,” said city associate engineer Michael Ramirez of the improvements. “We’re going to start construction in June. “We’ve talked with contractors about traffic mitigation to find ways to have the least impact on tourists. Because of its environmental sensitivity, the project is expected to be six months in duration.”
Rick Engineering principal Kevin Gibson said the idea is to build on original walkway improvement plans by local landscape architect Jim Neri. He described the low-lying Children’s Pool wall as “its own separate entity that has to be evaluated and repaired.”
Timothy Pruss of Rick Engineering said the abalone and cobblestone veneer prevalent elsewhere along Coast Walk will be continued with the new construction. Pruss noted new plantings “will have a very drought-tolerant plant palette, be low maintenance and resistant to sea spray.
“Another feature being added is a post-and-chain barrier to help this project be successful and sustainable,” Pruss said, adding the new hardscape “will harmonize with the existing sidewalk.”
Dockless bikes, which some have likened to an “invasion,” were also vetted at the meeting.
“I’m glad these bikes are bright colors, so we’ll be able to find them in the ocean when people get tired of them,” said boardmember Bill Robbins, expressing community frustration over increasing bike clutter.
Robbins passed out guidelines from San Diego Police Department with regulations governing motorized scooters and bicycles. “We’re going to have to come up with a plan that calls for some kind of enforcement,” he said, noting dockless bikes are meant to connect with mass transit to get commuters to “the last mile” of their destination.
“I think the technology is ahead of the rules,” said boardmember Bob Evans.
“There is nothing in particular we can do about this right now,” said LJPB president Ann Dynes, noting, “It’s a free-enterprise system.”
Dynes said the group would address dockless bikes again in April.
The Coast Walk Trail project involves ongoing pathway and bridge improvements to the meandering bluff trail that winds along the top of the cliffs above La Jolla’s sea caves through mostly native vegetation of coastal sage scrub. The scenic trail includes benches and a now-worn wooden bridge.
LJPB board member Patrick Ahern, noting the bridge being repaired was “dangerous,” added the trails behind it are being realigned to accommodate repairs.
“The bridge will stay there and still be used,” Ahern said adding realignment of the walkway leading up to the bridge is expected to be done in April or May.
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