San Diego CA– After a three year closure, the Kumeyaay Lake Campground was officially reopened in a ceremony with elected officials, community leaders and members of the public on Friday, June 13.

San Diego Councilmember Scott Sherman, whose district includes the campground and Mission Trails Regional Park, hosted a press conference and lock breaking ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Friday to announce the campground’s reopening and to officially welcome back visitors to Kumeyaay Lake Campground for overnight camping. Fellow Councilmembers Lorie Zapf and Sherri Lightner joined Councilmember Sherman at the press conference, along with former San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy and former Councilmember Jim Madaffer, who represented the district from 2000 to 2008.
Stan Rodriguez, a member of the Santa Isabel Band of the Kumeyaay Nation told traditional Kumeyaay stories as part of the Kumeyaay Lake Campground program Friday evening.
(courtesy photo)[/caption]Campers and park guests also joined Councilmember Sherman, park rangers and members of the Kumeyaay Nation at 7 p.m. that night at the campground for a marshmallow roast, campfire songs, and traditional stories told by Stan Rodriguez, a member of the Santa Isabel Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.

“The Mission Trails Regional Park area was my backyard growing up. I spent a lot of my childhood there before it was even designated as a park,” said Councilmember Scott Sherman. “I was very pleased to work with my City Council colleagues to open the campground once again to overnight camping so that a new generation of San Diego children can enjoy the same recreational opportunities that I had.”
Park visitors have been allowed access for day use of the campsites, but have not had overnight camping access since 2011 when the City of San Diego closed it due to budget constraints. Councilmember Scott Sherman, whose district includes the campsites and Mission Trails Regional Park, was instrumental in securing the approximately $140,000 needed to provide the necessary staffing to the campground to have it open for two nights a week. The campgrounds reopened to campers wishing to enjoy the park’s breathtaking scenery, plants and animals at night. Funds were restored as part of the City’s FY 2014 mid-year budget update and will remain fully funded for the 2015 fiscal year. Councilmember Sherman is also the Chair of the Mission Trails Regional Park Task Force.
“The turnout for the reopening and for the first night of camping was wonderful,” said Jay Wilson, Executive Director of the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation. “Mission Trails is again providing San Diegans with affordable, scenic and family-friendly camping opportunities that they can enjoy without ever leaving the City.”
46 campsites will be available for reservation. Campsites cost $20 a night and can be reserved through the online reservation system at this link: http://activenet.active.com/sdparkandrec. For more information about Mission Trails Regional Park, visit mtrp.org