Breathing life into Lower Presidio Historic Park
The Old Monterey Foundation is raising money to revitalize Lower Presidio Historic Park.
If you haven’t heard of it, Board Secretary Willard McCrone would say he isn’t surprised. It’s one of the most historic parts of Monterey, yet one of the least-visited.
According to the foundation, it’s where Sebastian Viscaino claimed the land for the King of Spain in 1602. He called it “Monterey.”
Fast forward four centuries, and the historic park is rather quiet. As chairman of the revitalization project, McCrone said he and plenty of others hope to change that.
The foundation is already on their way, raising nearly half of their targeted $680,000 for phase one. Phase one will update the signage and make the park more handicap accessible.
The foundation will also raise money to replace the head of the Junipero Serra statue, decapitated in October.
McCrone said the groundbreaking for phase one could take place as early as April of this year. And with the 250th anniversary of the founding of Monterey in just four years, there is a sense of urgency in completing the project.
