The playground at Orpheus Park in Leucadia is getting replaced after 33 years, and the city wants neighbors to weigh in before the Encinitas City Council votes on the design this fall.
The city held a community input meeting Tuesday, Aug. 25, at Encinitas City Hall to present updated plans for the park at 482 Orpheus Ave. The session ran from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Poinsettia Room, following an earlier neighborhood meeting on Dec. 3, 2024, where seven residents and Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ross Ridder reviewed two design options.
What's planned
The new playground keeps the existing 94-foot-diameter circular footprint and features a beach-themed "Surf Shack" climbing structure, swings, a mini wagon play element and 17-foot-10-inch fabric shade umbrellas, according to the city's project presentation. Sand and poured-in-place rubber surfacing will give way to engineered wood fiber mulch, and drainage improvements are included.
Two changes came directly from resident feedback at the Dec. 3, 2024, meeting: a spinner was swapped for a climbing structure, and one bucket seat was added to the swing set. Attendees had asked for three to four swings and raised concerns about taller structures blocking views from neighboring properties. The city said it paid special attention to height limits to preserve those sightlines.
Beyond the playground itself, the design adds a picnic shade shelter with four 6-foot concrete tables that meet ADA standards, plus adult fitness equipment south of the play area with no surrounding fence. Both are listed as "additive alternates," meaning they will be built only if construction bids come in low enough.
Encinitas resident Katy Fox wrote in an online comment submitted to the city on Dec. 3, 2024:
"Both look great, chose #2 as it looks like it would be more fun for the ages of my own kids (4 and 6 years old). I also like the idea of an exercise area WITH shade."
The council ultimately selected Option 1, the Surf Shack design, based on overall community preference.
Funding
The project is funded largely by a $600,000 state grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation's Office of Grants and Local Services, awarded under the Budget Act of 2022-23. That grant covers both Orpheus Park and Wiro Park at 2232 El Camino Del Norte. The City Council authorized the grant application on Jan. 18, 2023. The city's Park Improvement Fund covers the remainder, though an exact breakdown between the two parks has not been published.
Additional construction funding was allocated when the council adopted the FY 2026-27 budget in June.
What's next
Senior engineer Carlos Baldenegro, the project manager in the city's Engineering Department, is leading the effort. The city's project page lists the next milestone as a City Council design approval vote in fall 2026, followed by bidding and award of a construction contract in late 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2026-27.
Residents who missed the Aug. 25 meeting can still submit feedback through the city's online comment form or contact Baldenegro at [email protected] or 760-633-2763.
Orpheus Park sits adjacent to Paul Ecke Central School, connected by a walkway to the west, with street parking along Orpheus Avenue.
Upcoming
- Fall 2026: City Council design approval vote for Orpheus Park playground
- Late 2026: Bidding and award of construction contract
- FY 2026-27: Construction begins
