Forester Creek Project
A Major Tributary of the San Diego River
Every Family Deserves Access to Clean, Healthy Nature
In 2016-2019, The San Diego River Park Foundation worked with community volunteers to complete planning to create a better future for Forester Creek!
Forester Creek is an 11-mile-long tributary of the San Diego River. This creek and its three tributaries flow through the City of El Cajon in cement channels, where it is fenced off, running mostly behind businesses and residential areas.
The Forester Creek System is considered to have the lowest water quality of any of our River's tributaries, and its surrounding community is deficient in park space, according to national and state metrics. This means that there is not enough park space to serve the local population.
Click here to see a short video following along Forester Creek and the San Diego River Park's involvement with the creek and community.
We worked with the City of El Cajon and other partners to engage members of the public in a participatory planning process, resulting in a Recreational Access Plan for Forester Creek Imagine every family with access to a parks and a greenbelt along the Creek.
The (388 page) Forester Creek Recreation Access Plan is available for download here.
The Forester Creek Recreation Access Plan was created with feedback from over 1,000
El Cajon residents, recommendations from a committee of community stakeholders, and the expertise of Landscape Architects at 606 Studio at Cal Poly Pomona! This document is a strategic blueprint for creating an interconnected network of schools, parks and creek-side open spaces, in an effort to improve the future of Forester Creek while also improving recreational access for El Cajon.
Have thoughts about the future Forester Creek and recreation opportunities in El Cajon? Click here to provide feedback.
Get involved!
Want to help create a better future for Forester Creek?
- Stay informed by signing up for our email list here!
- Join our Recreation Access Plan Implementation Committee to help make the plan a reality! This committee will meet quarterly.
- Volunteer to improve the health of Forester Creek or help build recreation amenities.
To get involved or learn more about this project, email us or call (619) 297-7380.
Funding for this project as well as youth education and trash mitigation programs in El Cajon was provided by the State of California in partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority.
Our thanks for assistance with translation of materials, provided by:
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and | community volunteers |
Thank you to all who have donated to support this effort!
Stakeholder Committee
Afrah Abdulkader
International Rescue Committee
Samarah Abdulkadhim
Resident Leadership Academy
Cristina Aguirre
Youth and Leaders Living Actively
Rafal Al Bayati
Resident Leadership Academy
Rosa Alcaraz
community advocate
John Allen
Friends of Forester Creek
Amir
Student
Asonta
Student
Gabriel Boquiren
Taylor Guitars
Shannon Bullock
City of El Cajon
Deon West
Outdoor Outreach
Ernest
Student
Michael Golden
Grossmont College
Zac Hansen
County of SD Health and Human Services
Ibrahim
Student
Kara
Granite Hills High School Earth Club
Cindy Knight
Cajon Valley Union School District
Crystal Lawrence
Taylor Guitars
Eldonna Lay
El Cajon Historical Society
Eric T. Lund
SD East County Chamber of Commerce
Taryn Mani
Cajon Valley Union School District
Phil Ortiz
El Cajon Community Clean Up Group
Eva Pacheco
EJE Academies
Kathy Pillman
El Cajon Community Clean Up Group
John Phillips
City of El Cajon
Dina Polus
Newcomers in Action
David Raponi
El Cajon Community Clean Up Group
Steve Richardson
The Toro Company
Lakeysha Sowunmi
Safe Routes to School
Mohammed Tuama
Newcomers Support and Development
Hector Valtierra
Cuyamaca College
Carol Lewis
El Cajon Collaborative
Dennis Selder Southwestern College
