Seccombe Lake Park Closing March 3 for $13.8M Renovation; Second Street Bridge Reopening Summer 2025

Seccombe Lake Park will close for a year starting March 3 as part of a $13.8 million renovation that will restore and modernize the 44-acre park, city officials announced at the Feb. 19 City Council meeting.

Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and a $1 million grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the project will include a full-scale transformation of the park. Planned improvements include lake restoration, new landscaping and irrigation, a renovated gazebo, new basketball courts, upgraded lighting, and concrete walking paths. The park will also receive new playground equipment with large shade sails, an upgraded dog park, repaved parking lots, additional fishing stations around the lake, and the installation of palm tree solar lighting.

“We’re going to get quite a bit out of our $13.8 million,” Public Information Officer Jeff Kraus said. “What has been our crown jewel of the park system will once again be in about a year. The year’s closure will be worth it when it’s completed.”

While acknowledging the inconvenience of the closure, Kraus emphasized that the renovations will be transformational, mirroring the extensive upgrades completed at Nickelson Park.

“We are sorry to see this park go offline,” he said. “But much like Nickelson Park, it’s going to be completely transformed.”

In addition to Seccombe Lake Park, the city has several upcoming projects at Gutierrez and Guadalupe Parks.

Second Street Bridge Progresses Toward Summer 2025 Completion

Alongside park revitalization efforts, San Bernardino continues to advance on the $244 million Second Street Bridge reconstruction near Mount Vernon Avenue. Kraus highlighted a major milestone, noting that earlier in the day (on Feb. 19th), crews had begun paving the roadway spanning the bridge.

“There was a row of cement trucks, the falsework is there, and the rebar is there,” Kraus said. “They started paving the road spanning the bridge, which is a major milestone.”

The long-awaited bridge replacement remains on track for a summer 2025 reopening, restoring a critical transportation link for residents and businesses on the city’s west side.

“The people of the west side have been very patient,” Kraus said. “It’s a key connector, and we’re glad it’s almost there.”

He acknowledged that city officials have long assured residents the project was nearing completion but emphasized that significant, visible progress is now happening.

Councilmember Theodore Sanchez, speaking at a recent Small Business Watch meeting, underscored the bridge’s importance and the extensive financial support behind the project.

“We are on schedule for Mt. Vernon Bridge,” Sanchez said. “It’s an expensive project, and we have the backing of federal, state, and regional funds to complete the bridge, and it’ll be completed very soon. This bridge will soon reconnect two segments of the community that have been cut in half by the lack of a bridge.”

With major infrastructure and park improvements underway, city leaders say these projects will enhance connectivity, accessibility, and quality of life for San Bernardino residents.