Carlsbad's largest community park is rising on 93.7 acres near Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road, with a Veterans Memorial Plaza, bike park, three playgrounds and trails all expected to open by 2028.
Veterans Memorial Park broke ground July 6 after decades of planning. The city designated the site as a future park in its 1986 Growth Management Plan and named it Veterans Memorial Park three years later, according to Carlsbad Magazine. Active design work began in 2019, with more than 2,500 residents shaping the plan through surveys and workshops.
The project carries a price tag of about $58 million. The Carlsbad City Council unanimously awarded a $39 million construction contract to Brightview Landscape Development in February, as first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune. Funding includes $49.2 million from a community facilities district fund, a $3 million federal grant secured by Rep. Mike Levin and a $5 million state grant obtained by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner.
More than half the site will remain protected habitat.
The park's habitat preserve areas will include efforts to remove invasive species and encourage native wildlife, including the California Gnatcatcher and California Towhees, according to Carlsbad Magazine.
The park's centerpiece is the Veterans Memorial Plaza on the north side. It will feature six panels honoring each branch of the U.S. military, bronze inlaid mottos, perimeter seating and a 45-foot-tall flagpole.
Nick Stupin, Carlsbad's parks planning manager, described the plaza in Carlsbad Magazine's September issue. "Various veterans' groups will be able to gather there and hold events for their members," Stupin said. "At the heart of the plaza will be a 45-foot-tall flagpole."
The park will also include a bike park at the south end with pump tracks for beginners, intermediate flow trails and advanced flow trails. Three nature-inspired playgrounds, outdoor fitness stations and hiking trails that connect to Carlsbad's citywide trail network round out the amenities. Dogs will be allowed on the public trails.
Two parking lots will offer drop-off areas and electric vehicle charging stations. Construction will add left-turn lanes at each of the two park entrances on Faraday Avenue, along with new road striping and enhanced bike lanes, according to the city's project page.
A 16-foot-tall sculpture by Gordon Huether Studio will sit on the upper plateau, offering panoramic views of the coastline and Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The City Council approved the final public art design in October 2025, with a $350,000 budget for the piece.
Construction crews work at the site from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Residents can sign up for updates by texting the keyword VeteransPark to 760-302-5500.
What's next
The City Council's Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee holds its final public meeting Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive. The subcommittee is exploring additional ways to honor veterans, such as commemorative pavers or a donation-based program.
