One of the most scenic places to play basketball in San Clemente is a new municipal recreation facility called Pico Park.
It’s at 315 E. Avenida Pico on a terrace overlooking North Beach. You can even play hoops there after watching the sun set over the Pacific. The basketball court is equipped with lights.
Local dignitaries celebrated the Aug. 3 opening of Pico Park, one of four city parks being developed as part of Taylor Morrison Homes’ Sea Summit community where 309 homes are being brought to market.
Pico Park, covering 1.5 acres, includes a parking area, restroom, drinking fountain and two playground apparatus, one geared to ages 2-5 and the other for ages 5-12.
There is a covered picnic pavilion with barbecue facilities. The park also has an open turf area, interpretive signs for nature lovers and a trail link to Sea Summit’s network of 4 miles of public trails on a natural palisade reserve overlooking the ocean.
Pico Park has 12 parking spaces, and if they are full the park is within walking distance of the city’s North Beach parking lot.
In May the city opened two smaller Sea Summit public parks. Canyon View Park, located at 18 Via Artemesia, includes a playground, picnic tables, barbecue and restroom. Vista del Sol Park, at 111 Cosa Azul, has picnic tables, a barbecue, a restroom and an ocean view.
Being built now, between Shorecliffs Middle School and the I-5/ Avenida Vista Hermosa interchange, is 8-acre Jim Johnson Memorial Park. It will have three unlighted soccer fields, a lighted basketball court, a restroom and playground facilities, on track for completion this fall.
Contact the writer: fswegles@ocregister.com or 949-492-5127
