There are two parks and a reserve on the Crest. The first park was Suncrest Park and was later renamed to South Lane Park. This park was part of the original Suncrest Resort Community. Nancy Jane Park was donated by the Cornelius family to the La Cresta community in 1928. Crestridge Ecological Reserve (formerely Oakridge park) was dedicated in 1999.
Nancy Jane Park
Nancy Jane Park – 1928
Land for a park was donated to the La Cresta community by Dollie and Barney Cornelius. Nancy Jane Park, consisting of 1.84 acres, was named for the youngest Cornelius child. It was dedicated and recorded on February 8,1928. Mr. Fred Wilkie was the one who suggested to Dollie Cornelius that the park should be named after her only daughter, Nancy Jane. In 1934. the county furnished some equipment which citizens installed. However, a request for water and toilets took three years of petitions and waiting before a restroom was built. A tennis court was laid out in 1938 and a merry-go-round installed in 1941, purchased with community funds.
As time passed, the park fell into a state of disrepair, and major improvements were badly needed. In 1959, the Crest Civic Group requested a sprinkler system, a new lawn, and a modern restroom to replace the old one. The following year the Board approved sprinklers, tables, stoves, and a concrete block restroom.
(Photo is a typical July 4th event at Nancy Jane Park)
South Lane Park (1979)
Today’s South Lane Park was formerly known as the Suncrest Ball Park, part of the original Suncrest development. Ball games were entertainment for the “resort” members who visited their cabins on weekends. At one point, Suncrest, Inc. gave the property to the Baptist Church for building a retirement home. The home was never built. The property reverted to the county which was later sold to a private party. Over the years private owners tried to develop the area unsuccessfully due to drainage issues. For some time the park and the horse ring were privately owned. Shows and activities were based on the permission of the owner, Mrs. Dyer. In the 1970s the property was sold once again and activities stopped.
On October 24, 1974, the Civic Group wrote a letter to the county asking them to acquire this 10.5 acre site for a Crest park. It took four years before it was included in the local Parks Implementation Program because the Park Land Dedication Ordinance fund for our local park planning area was insufficient to cover acquisition costs. No federal or state grants were available as a supplement to that fund until 1978.
From May 30, 1978 to March 14, 1979, there were hearings before the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, the Environmental Review Board, the Planning Commission, the CPO of the Parks and Recreation Director, the CA State Parks and Recreation Director, the executive committee of CPO, the State Clearinghouse, and the Board of Supervisors (again). Finally, the property was acquired by the county for the sum of $140,000. It was designated as an undeveloped park.
The ETI Horse group was formed in 1979 with Sally Bowlby elected as first president. ETI sponsored trail rides, horse shows and trips. The horse group – E-Crestrians, Inc.– was granted a non-exclusive use and occupancy permit for the five acres closest to South Lane. Through their efforts, the horse ring and an announcer’s booth for horse show competitions were constructed. The announcers booth, which was the old library building located behind the La Cresta Women’s Clubhouse, was moved to its new home in the park. The Crest Civic Group ran the concession stand for some time.
South Lane Park was known for its beautiful eucalyptus grove. The park remained rustic and forest-like for many years. Unfortunately, after the 2003 fire, the county deemed the trees too weak to remain and a liability to the county. In 2006, they cut down 300 trees, many of them over 100 feet tall, leaving only 40 trees. That same year, the park was upgraded with landscape planting and the installation of a physical exercise area and a walking path through the center of the park. The park today still has the two horse arenas plus four hitching posts and water for horses.
Crestridge Ecological Reserve (Oakridge Park)
1999 – Crestridge Ecological Reserve (Oakridge Park)
The Crestridge Ecological Reserve, a 3,000 acre reserve owned by the California Department of Fish and Game and managed by the Endangered Habitats Conservancy. The reserve is bounded on the north by Interstate 8, on the east by Harbison Canyon, on the south by Mountain View and La Cresta Roads, and on the southwest by La Cresta Road.
Once the site of a Kumeyaay Indian village, it includes three prehistoric archaeological sites. The Crestridge property was known locally as “Oakridge.” It was once the home of the Cornelius family in the early 1920s. Sometime before World War II, Colonel Ed Fletcher bought the “S” Tract of Rancho El Cajon. Mr. Buck Rickles worked for the Ed Fletcher Company, Inc. from 1963 to 1976, and raised his family on the property. Rickles and Mr. Waller, who was the handyman for the Ed Fletcher Company, had cows, horses, and various other livestock, mostly in the area of the avocado grove just beyond the reserve. Mr. Waller cleared the area that is now annual grassland north of the oak grove on the reserve, erected fences, and used it to raise quarter horses. None of the rest of the property has been cleared.
During the 1990s, plans were approved by San Diego County for residential development. In response to the development proposal, the citizens of Crest formed the Crest Open Space Supporters and the Back Country Land Trust to advocate for conservation of the property as open space and incorporation into the County of San Diego MSCP preserve system. The Crest Open Space Supporters contacted Endangered Habitats League (EHL) in 1998 about preserving the property, which had an approved 92-lot subdivision. From 1998-2000, EHL negotiated the sale of Crestridge from the owner Frank Gatlin. The property was sold to the California Department of Fish and Game in 2000.
Crestridge is the home of The Earth Discovery Institute (EDI), a program of the Endangered Habitats League in San Diego providing environmental education. The Earth Discovery Institute (EDI) began in 2001 as an environmental education program of the Endangered Habitats League (EHL) at Crestridge Ecological Reserve. In 2008, EDI became a free-standing non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, conducting environmental education programs at Crestridge Ecological Reserve as well as at other locations in San Diego County. The Earth Discovery Institute also develops and implements volunteer and interpretive programs to support conservation and environmental stewardship throughout southern San Diego County.
The mission of the Earth Discovery Institute is to conduct innovative, effective science education and conservation stewardship programs that are integrated with science-driven ecological conser-vation. EDI conducts education, restoration, and community outreach ac-tivities at Crestridge.
Also located on this property is a straw bale house designed by James Hubbell, celebrated San Diego artist and architect. It serves as the park kiosk and an example of straw bale architecture. Unfortunately, the building sustained extensive dam-age in the 2003 wildfires and was rebuilt in 2005.