Balboa Park: A Governance Analysis and Recommendation

The Sage Project at San Diego State University (SDSU) was commissioned to develop recommendations pertaining to governance methods utilized for Balboa Park. This comprehensive report addresses what governance model, or models, are the best fit for Balboa Park taking into consideration factors such as size, location, physical features, and the region itself. As part of Dr. Amy Quandt’s Geography 570 Environmental Conservation Practice course at SDSU, students were able to collaborate with community stakeholders and SDSU faculty and staff in order to conduct necessary research to address this matter. This report takes into consideration both the history of the governance and development of the park. The report addresses the multitude of relevant factors that impact the governance of the park. Furthermore, the report evaluates other comparable, urban parks such as Grant Park, located in Chicago, Illinois, and Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, and their respective governance strategies in order to determine whether they may translate appropriately to Balboa Park. The strengths and weaknesses of the current governance strategy for Balboa Park are also evaluated. Through this research, comprehensive recommendations are able to be developed in order to mitigate and capitalize on these aspects while also ensuring that Balboa Park properly serves both community members of San Diego and the large tourism network that Balboa Park garners. The methodology utilized in order to provide this set of recommendations is also indicated. Following the recommendations, the feasibility of implementing them on a wide scale is also considered.