The MTRP Foundation is a support entity for Mission Trails Regional Park. The park is only 12 miles from downtown San Diego and is owned and operated by the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department's Open Space Division. It encompasses nearly 7,000 acres of both natural and developed recreational areas.
We support a variety of activities in the nearly 15,000 square foot state-of-the art Visitor Center including: maintaining, improving and developing new exhibits, developing and printing the
The park has 60 miles of trails for hiking, and mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing and a 46 site campground. Its rugged hills, valleys and open areas represent a San Diego prior to the landing of Cabrillo in San Diego Bay in 1542. MTRP provides a quick, natural escape from the urban hustle and bustle.
MTRP has been called the third Jewel in the City of San Diego Park System. Along with Balboa Park and Mission Bay Park, it provides San Diego residents and visitors a way to explore the cultural, historical, and recreational aspects of San Diego.
Started in 1974, Mission Trails Regional Park has become one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Originally used by the Kumeyaay, the park is the site of the Old Mission Dam, built to store water for the Mission San Diego de Alcala.
The MTRP Foundation is a support entity for Mission Trails Regional Park which is owned and operated by the City of San Diego's Park and Recreation Department's Open Space Division.
Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation was formed in 1988 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation. It was created to provide fund-raising and special programs for the park.
It is governed by a Board of Directors, in accordance with the State approved Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Officers of the Board are President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer.
The public purposes of the Foundation are to preserve, improve, develop and maintain the park and to foster public appreciation and understanding of Mission Trails Regional Park.
Michael R. Pent, Jean Hatton and Dorothy Leonard were the founding members of the Foundation. Mike Pent was president from 1988 to 1998. He also served as chair of the Mission Trails Regional Park Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) and as a member of the Mission Trails Task Force.
Dorothy Leonard has served as Secretary/Treasurer since the Foundation's creation and is the current chair of the CAC and represents the CAC on the Task Force.
In 1991, the City and Foundation entered into an agreement regarding their relationship and establishing a process to govern the use of public funds (which may be provided to the Foundation by the City) and to review and approve the Foundation's annual work program.
This work program has included: soliciting funds (private donations, grants), publicizing the park (newsletter, brochures), maintaining a gift shop, sponsoring programs (tree planting, photo contest, volunteer recognition), purchasing supplies and equipment, funding construction projects, hiring staff assistance, and coordinating activities with City staff.
The first joint endeavor of the City and Foundation was construction of the Visitor and Interpretive Center. Funding for this project included $1.2 million from the Tierrasanta Norte Development Agreement, which the City forwarded to the Foundation; two $900,000 state grants obtained by the Foundation for the project; income for the antenna facilities atop Cowles Mountain (which the City Council and County Board of Supervisors have designated to support capital improvements in the park); and funds paid by the State for use of park land for storage of dirt during construction of SR 52.
The City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department and the Foundation have entered into an Agreement for the purpose of authorizing the Foundation's use of park facilities. Foundation activities approved in the Agreement include the operation of a gift shop, which features items related to the park and history of the area, including items handcrafted by the Kumeyaay. All profits from the gift shop and other fund raising activities are used to benefit the park.
Through grants, we also provide field trips for schools and youth organization. For the 2014/15 school year, we hosted 5,235 students for an organized field trip that includes a presentation our Education Program Instructor in our 93 seat theater, a guided nature walk, tour of the Visitor Center,in our 93 seat theater, a guided nature walk, educational scavenger hunt in the Visitor Center and a movie about the Kumeyaay Native Americans who lived in the park and now reside on reservations throughout San Diego County. The MTRP Foundation maintains the MTRP website, funds and maintains the exhibits in the Visitor Center, operates education and art programs for students, offers free merit badge classes for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, sponsors an annual Amateur Photo Contest, publishes a quarterly full color newsletter
