Today
The Latter 1900's
In the 1960's, Mission Beach ran across some problems. It seems
that it became too much of a popular place and attracted too many
people. Overcrowding was a serious concern. By this time, Most of the
buildings around the area were built and few empty lots existed. The
conditions of the surrounding buildings were, however, substandard.
Basically, the area was never meant to house and provide for so many people.
People also feared that the area would gain too tall buildings and become
like Miami Beach. However, in 1972, a height control mandate was passed
limiting structures to 30 feet. The picture to the left is beach strip of
Mission Beach. Although it was taken earlier than 1960, Many of the
structure have already been built. The growth of the area can really be seen
here. 1301
In 1976 Belmont Park closed it doors to patrons. The park,
originally called the Mission Beach Amusement Center, was a fun spot
for many people over the years. It was envisioned by the creators of the
resort and also included the historic roller coaster. The opinion in the
community as to what to do with the Amusement Center was mixed. Some wanted
to convert it to a less commercial atmosphere. Others wanted to bring it
back to its original state. The final decision by the City Council decided
to reinstate the area as a commercial amusement park which is the way it is
today. The decision came about because of its historic value to the area.
The picture to the right shows the logo of Belmont Park. The park includes
most of the original attractions, but a few have been removed for parking
and stores.Today, Belmont Park is host to many attractions. 1302
In addition to Belmont Park, the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster
had plenty of controversy over the years. Especially in the 1970's,
the coaster's future was not known. It was shut down for a while. Many
people wanted to tear it down and there were years of debate as to what to
do. It wasn't until later that the coaster and the rest of the amusement
park were fully restored. The coaster and Plunge were even placed on the
official San Diego Historic Sites list, making them impossible to be torn
down. The picture to the left shows the roller coaster while it was still
operating and South Mission Beach when it was just getting to become
overcrowded. 1303
Today Mission Beach is a wonderful place to visit.
Tourism is one of the greatest revenue boosters. The old
houses on the beach are being restored to huge apartment buildings, keeping
the height restriction though. A lot of the apartments are also rented out
to near-by college students during the academic year. During the summer,
these place are full of vacationing families.
The boardwalk is still a
popular place to see people, especially at night. A party can always be
found somewhere on a Friday or Saturday night. It really is a great place to
be. The picture to the right shows how popular the place still is today and
how it hasn't changed from the picture on the left. 1304
