Parks / Coast / Environment

Torrey Hills residents to get pool, rec center

The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Apr 16, 2002; Hala Ali Aryan;

TORREY HILLS -- In a few years, residents won't have to fight Carmel Valley crowds to take their children swimming.

The San Diego City Council yesterday unanimously voted to allow the Magdalena Ecke YMCA to build a recreation center and pool at the city-owned Torrey Hills Neighborhood Park. Officials expect it to open in early 2005.

YMCA officials spent about a year convincing the city staff that the nonprofit organization should pay $1 per year to lease the land, as have other YMCAs. It will lease the land for 30 years and pay a $2,500 annual administrative fee.

"When we started this process in 1997, this is exactly what we wanted," said Jim Benedict, a YMCA board member and chairman of the Torrey Hills YMCA committee.

Residents of Torrey Hills, formerly called Sorrento Hills, pushed for their own recreation center and pool after several summers of fighting crowds at the Carmel Valley community pool.

Council policies say nonprofit organizations should pay fair- market rent unless the organization's services directly offset city expenses. But most nonprofits actually pay $1 or less than $1,000 per year.

Will Griffith, San Diego's real estate assets director, said the YMCA lease is consistent with procedures that city staff members will propose to a city committee and the City Council for future nonprofit leasing deals.

Nonprofits in the past have not paid an administrative fee, but the city and YMCA compromised on the annually adjusted fee as a way to reimburse the city for staff time spent on the lease.

Griffith said the YMCA deal, which also addresses a lease for a La Jolla YMCA, could serve as a template for future facilities by nonprofit groups.

Benedict said a leadership change helped make the lease agreement happen. He said former Councilman Harry Mathis was a roadblock to the YMCA's effort and that his replacement, Councilman Scott Peters, pushed for the agreement.

Magdalena Ecke YMCA officials are creating a survey that will ask Torrey Hills residents exactly what they want at their branch and are planning community meetings to gather input. They will then start raising funds for the $5.5 million facility, which will be built on 4 acres of the 15-acre Torrey Hills Neighborhood Park.

Copyright SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY Apr 16, 2002