After much debate and a split vote, the Santa Barbara City Council approved a basketball court and fitness area as part of a planned $1 million renovation of the Cabrillo Ball Field. The decision marked a victory for basketball players and fans who've long pushed for hoops near the waterfront.
Designs will be drafted for a junior size court (74' x 42'), along with a workout zone equipped with 10 exercise stations of stainless steel bars for stretching and strength training. The additions would be installed in the little-used no-man's-land between the Chromatic Gate and the baseball diamond, which would get a 300-foot home-run fence to separate the areas. Also proposed are improvements to the five-acre park's entryways, sidewalks, lights, landscaping, and drainage system.
During her presentation to the City Council this Tuesday, Parks & Recreation Director Jill Zachary talked about the drug use, loitering, and other homeless-related crimes that have plagued the park for years. In 2011, the city installed fencing around the bleachers and fitted locks to the bathrooms, and discussions began about how to further enhance the ball field, such as adding a skate park or off-leash dog area.