Face-lift for Heisler

New amphitheater, terraced garden, restrooms and railing planned for the bluff-top park.Expect well-worn and weather-beaten Heisler Park to be more user-friendly and easier on the eyes.

City officials and an architect outlined upcoming changes to the park in a tour through the bluff-top venue last Saturday. The improvement plans were two years in the making, said project manager Wade Brown.

The remodeling objectives are primarily concerned with landslide prevention -- new drainage and irrigation features will be installed -- as well as improved public access.

Landscape architect Larry Steinle of LA Studio believes his proposed design will eliminate what was not working while preserving Heisler’s charm.

“People love this park,” he said. “We want to keep things the way they are.”

The final design took into consideration the opinions and concerns of the community, which included the committees for the arts, recreation, heritage and open space, Brown said.

Proposed changes include the conversion of an unusable shuffleboard area into a terraced garden and the construction of an amphitheater.

The amphitheater will be located between the lawn area of Rock Pile Beach and the lawn-bowling area; a number of palm trees will be relocated nearby.

Designed with concrete benches to seat 50, the theater could accommodate 100 more who use the adjacent lawn area, Brown said.

“The amphitheater is not for out-of-towners,” Brown said, “It’s more for locals.”

Films screenings, concerts, and Junior Lifeguard meetings are some of the activities slated for the theater.

The park’s 50-year-old restrooms, deemed unusable, will be replaced.

Only about 10% of the park is accessible to the handicapped, according to Brown. However, the new plan provides for 100% access.

In an effort to appease nearby residents, no new barbecue grills will be added to the park.

“People have complained about lighter-fluid smells,” Brown said.

Patches of ice plant, which cause erosion problems, will be replaced with aloe plants and other succulents, Steinle said.

Four monuments -- 7-foot tall columns made of native stone -- will be placed near the park’s entrances.

One of Steinle’s favorite additions will be faux bois work designed for the railings. Faux bois is a technique that makes cement look like wood.

The cost of the redesign plan, estimated at $450,000, was split evenly between the city and the California Coastal Conservancy, Brown said.

Completing the project will cost an additional $5 million.

The city’s Adjustment and Design Review Board will hold a public hearing Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers.

The plans and application may be examined and reviewed at the Department of Community Development between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. any normal workday, as well as 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. 20060113isy8knncMARK DUSTIN / COASTLINE PILOT(LA)Runners make their way along the bluff path in Heisler Park, where improvements have been proposed.