Aspiring Eagle Scouts Spruce Up Mast Park



A key pedestrian corridor linking the two halves of Mast Park has been made more user friendly and attractive, thanks to the efforts of two Eagle Scout candidates from La Mesa Troop 51.

One of the finished mural panels under Carlton Hills Blvd.

The sandy footpath under the Carlton Hills Blvd. bridge used to be a grungy and uninviting route for folks crossing between Mast Park and a recently completed nature trail along the park’s western half. Not anymore.

Today, the underpass trail passes by a colorful mural depicting nature scenes that echo the park’s location along the San Diego River. Also, a new foot bridge crosses a dirt channel that used to be a barrier for some hikers, especially when it contained storm water.  Both improvements are the result of civic-minded Boy Scouts and the organizing talents of Sue Richardson, Santee’s Recreation Services Manager and committee member with Troop 51.

 

Chance Kawar, an aspiring Eagle Scout, orchestrated the mural project that transformed the concrete bridge supports underneath Carlton Hills Blvd.



Kawar solicited donations of paint and supplies from area businesses and recruited fellow scouts and volunteers from the Friends of Santee's River Park to help with the painting. The mural was conceived and sketched by El Cajon artist Thom Guerra.


Earlier in August, Life Scout Ryan Widiaja, who is also working towards the Eagle rank, gathered donations and organized a construction crew comprised of fellow scouts to build a foot bridge that connects to the nature trail at Mast Park West.



Earlier this year, scouts from Troop 51 installed information kiosks at Mast and Town Center Community Parks and San Diego River Trail markers throughout Mast Park. Additional projects are planned for the future.

 

Scouts from Troop and Pack 51. (Photo courtesy of Jay Renard)





Ryan Widjaja (center) and other
scouts from Troop 51
working on the foot bridge.
(Photo courtesy of Rob Hawk)











Carlton Hills Blvd. underpass before the project.