January 23, 2014 – San Diego, CA – The Balboa Park Trust, a family of endowment funds managed by The San Diego Foundation, will hold an event at 10 a.m. on January 31st at the Plaza de Panama to commemorate the installation of bike racks throughout Balboa Park including on the Plaza de Panama made possible through a grant by the Trust.

The fun “penny-farthing” design of the bike racks will add to the visual appeal of the Park while increasing accessibility for all San Diegans.

“We are honored to be able to provide funding to increase access to Balboa Park while preserving the historic character of the Park. This project aligns perfectly with The San Diego Foundation’s Opening the Outdoors initiative which seeks to provide park and outdoor access to all San Diegans,” said Bob Kelly, President and CEO of The San Diego Foundation, “I hope our legacy for the future includes getting all kids and families outdoors enjoying San Diego’s open spaces and amenities.”

Interim Mayor Todd Gloria will be speaking about the continued collaboration and determination of the Balboa Park Trust and The San Diego Foundation to maintain the Park’s beauty and accessibility. The Balboa Park Trust, which has provided more than $1.7 million for the preservation, maintenance, and beautification of Balboa Park, was established in 1985 with a generous donation from Florence Christman who entrusted The San Diego Foundation to carry out her wishes.

“With the closure of Cabrillo Bridge, it is imperative to provide other means of access for Balboa Park. Whether its bike racks, trams, or improved parking, we want to encourage all those who live, work, and play in San Diego to visit the amazing organizations and open space that Balboa Park provides. The City of San Diego is grateful for the tremendous support of the Balboa Park Trust which has been the longest running financial support resource for the Park and has created endowments to ensure the future of San Diego’s Crown Jewel,” said Interim Mayor Todd Gloria.

Balboa Park, which covers 1,200 acres and contains 85 cultural, conservational and recreational organizations is considered the “Crown Jewel” of San Diego. Kelly noted that it is the goal of the Balboa Park Trust to embrace the legacy, foresight, and wisdom of our founders and The Foundation partners with new donors who share this same passion.

Alan Spector, Chair of the Balboa Park Trust is confident that The Balboa Park Trust is ready to take the lead moving forward. The Balboa Park Trust of The San Diego Foundation has been instrumental in bridging the gap between the Park’s needs, City funding and the desires of the Park’s visitors. With more than 10 million visitors per year, Balboa Park ranks as one of the most significant urban parks in America.


About The San Diego Foundation
Founded in 1975, The San Diego Foundation’s purpose is to promote and increase effective and responsible charitable giving. The Foundation manages more than $624 million in assets, almost half of which reside in permanent endowment funds that extend the impact of today’s gifts to future generations. Since its inception, The Foundation has granted more than $842 million to the San Diego region’s nonprofit community. For additional information, please visit The San Diego Foundation at sdfoundation.org.

About the Opening the Outdoors Initiative
The Opening the Outdoors initiative at The San Diego Center for Civic Engagement will help reclaim the region’s natural beauty and create world-class urban parks and gateways to nature. The initiative seeks to bring together business, government, and the community to build public awareness and support efforts to establish natural and urban spaces for families to recreate, learn and enjoy. For additional information, visit www.sdcenterforcivicengagement.org.

Contact
Vince Heald, Beck Ellman Heald, 858-453-9600, vheald@behmedia.com
Heather Back, The San Diego Foundation, 619-235-2300, Heather@sdfoundation.org