Ortega Park Revitalization Project

Public art has long been a meaningful part of the cultural identity of Ortega Park. In the late 1970s, the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department collaborated with La Casa de la Raza to install the park's first murals. Over the years, new generations of youth artists have reimagined and restored the murals through the Santa Barbara Arts Alliance, a free art-based mentoring program offered by the Parks and Recreation Department.

The inclusion of public art was identified as a priority during community outreach in 2018 and was integrated into each version of the Ortega Park design. The original plan called for the recreation of a selection of the park's current murals, with the original artists guiding the youth of the Santa Barbara Arts Alliance, and the opportunity to create new murals. This approach mirrored past restorations of the Ortega Park murals and allowed more funding to be allocated to other community-requested park features. In 2020, the community requested that the park's existing murals be preserved in their current state rather than recreated. A third-party consultant was hired to assess each mural and provide recommendations for preservation in aMural Evaluation Report. An Art Advisory Committee, comprised of previous muralists, local art and youth educators, and Eastside residents, was then formed to lead the decision-making process for which murals would be preserved and how.

The current plan calls for the integration of 12 existing murals into the new park design. Four murals will be preserved and relocated, four murals will be recreated on new surfaces, and four murals will be reimagined while maintaining the same theme and message. In addition to integrating 12 existing murals, the design includes 12 additional locations for future art. 6 existing murals will be thoroughly documented and retired. This approach will allow for the celebration of existing murals while ensuring future generations of artists have the opportunity to leave their mark on Ortega Park.

Public outreach meetings identified a long list of desired programs a year-round pool at Ortega Park could serve. Careful consideration was given to provide the community with a facility that will allow for the requested programming without negatively impacting the Eastside neighborhood with the additional infrastructure required for large aquatics centers. The new community pool design features three distinct zones:

• Wet Play/Wading Pool - A zero-depth beach-type entry will provide ADA access to the pool and create a safe place for small children to enjoy the water. The depth will gradually transition to a wading pool area with interactive water play features. 
• Lap Pool – A 25-yard 6-lane pool will allow for simultaneous programming, including lap swimming, swim lessons, water fitness classes, and various sports, including swim meets. 
• Waterslide – Two new interactive slides will provide a high-thrill ride for both children and adults.

A corner of Ortega Park will become an all-wheel park designed for skateboards, scooters, roller skates, rollerblades, and bikes. This new park feature will provide the community with more opportunities for affordable recreation and a safe place for all ages to learn and master skills. Youth programming, with scholarships to cover the cost of participation and gear, will introduce new generations to the joy of roller sports. The design will include a viewing plaza for spectators and a clearly defined entrance for those waiting to enter. A smooth concrete surface, low walls, and a buffer of hardy plants will be used to minimize noise.

A new multi-sport field, sized to allow youth and adult soccer, as well as youth baseball, rugby, and lacrosse, will provide new recreation opportunities for the community year-round. Artificial turf will remove the need for field closures to restore grass, allowing for an additional 12 to 16 weeks of use each year. The design will also include designated space on the sidelines for players and spectators, with sport lighting and decorative fencing around the field to increase safety and visibility.

Ortega Park has long been a common gathering place for Eastside residents. A new community plaza has been designed to better accommodate large-scale gatherings at the park. This area will include play structures for children ages 2-5 and 5-12, and a shaded picnic area.

The renovation design was created with the City of Santa Barbara’s climate and the potential long-term effects of climate change in mind. 

• Drought Tolerance – Landscaping will consist of mainly drought-tolerant, low-maintenance species known to thrive in the local Mediterranean climate. Native plants will be used wherever practical to further reduce water usage and provide habitat for beneficial pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. 
• Stormwater Management - The natural flow of water and existing stormwater drainage were considered in the placement of planters and bioswales, channels designed to slow, collect, filter, and store as much stormwater runoff as possible. Parking surrounding the park will use permeable pavers to direct water into a retention basin below, allowing it to slowly absorb into the soil and recharge the groundwater.