Had to go see a Dr. in Escondido this morning and happened upon this cute neighborhood park.
Now I have to applaud the city of Escondido for fixing up a part of their downtown and making it more user-friendly. According to the city website, "funded by a $945,000 Smart Growth grant from SANDAG, the City has turned Maple Street, between Grand Avenue and Valley Parkway, into an interesting, urban pedestrian plaza. The street has been reconstructed as a "festival street", with a single, one-way lane from south to north with no on-street parking. What makes the festival street different is the absence of curbs defining the traveled way for autos. It is all constructed at one level and, with the use of removable bollards, can be closed to car traffic for special events making the entire block a people place."
This is a great concept and certainly adds some warmth and people-friendliness to the downtown area. I loved the decorative paver blocks and the large Oak tree in the center of the project. Kids were playing around the interactive water feature, i.e. splashing water jets. I bet it looks pretty here at night as the trees here are strung with colored LED lighting.
Two large signs with the Plaza's name bookend the quaint block. Escondido is often not the most refined of places and is actually not where I personally care to go. But big props to the city for coming up with the great Maple Street Plaza. read more