Ocean Beach has long envisioned a children’s playground and adult fitness area near the ocean, similar to amenities available in other San Diego beach communities. A new playground and outdoor fitness area at Saratoga Park would provide a valuable resource for Ocean Beach residents and families, while also enhancing the beach experience for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The idea for an adult fitness area began with a suggestion from Ocean Beach lifeguards and firefighters at an Ocean Beach Town Council meeting. The first responders shared that they regularly work out at Saratoga Park, but the park currently lacks fitness equipment. The Town Council brought the idea to OBCDC, the Ocean Beach organization that primarily focuses on capital improvement projects. OBCDC subsequently made the project a priority and paired the proposed adult fitness area with a children’s playground, an amenity that had already been identified as part of the community’s long-term plans.

To move the project forward, OBCDC raised funds to cover site survey, design, and permitting costs and issued a request for proposals for preliminary design services. The contract was awarded to LdG Landscape Architects, a Point Loma-based landscape architecture firm. The preliminary design built upon ideas developed through a public workshop, with additional community input incorporated through several public design charrettes.

Community feedback also helped shape the project's footprint. The current design reduces the amount of park space dedicated to the new amenities, preserving and enhancing the open lawn space for recreational and sporting activities. The proposed playground and fitness area would utilize approximately 8% of the existing park area.

The project has received support from Ocean Beach community organizations, including the OB MainStreet Association, Ocean Beach Planning Board, and Ocean Beach Community Foundation.

OBCDC believes the addition of a children's playground and outdoor adult fitness area will provide a meaningful new recreational resource for the Ocean Beach community, creating opportunities for children, families, residents, visitors, and first responders to enjoy and make use of Saratoga Park.