The Shores Property is a 5.3 acre parcel bounded by Camino del Mar, Ninth Street and Stratford Court.  It was donated to the Del Mar Union School District in 1946 by the Kerckhoff  Company and family with the stipulation that the land remain for educational and recreational purposes.  The land is currently zoned by the City of Del Mar as Public Facilities (PF). 

WE NEED YOUR INPUT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR THE FUTURE DEL MAR SHORES PARK.  We would like the opportunity to send or bring to you a preliminary "vision" of what an incredible community asset Del Mar Shores Park can be, based on community conversations and input. Let us know what you think by emailing us at info@delmarshores.org or call us at 858-481-4201.

enlargement

Where we are now:
In September 2005, the City of Del Mar entered into formal negotiations to acquire the property, the Friends of Del Mar Parks began actively soliciting donations to make the purchase a reality, and escrow is set to close on May 19, 2008.   The total purchase price was $8.5 million; $5 million was paid to the Del Mar Union School District at the close of escrow on May 21, 2008, and the balance was paid to DMUSD on November 17, 2009.  The City of Del Mar is currently financing a 36-month, $3.8 million loan with Union Bank of California.  The Friends are working to complete the payments on this loan with contributions from members of the community. 

What happens now that escrow has closed?
The property remains in the public trust as a community asset held by the City of Del Mar. The Winston School will stay under a long-term lease, which will enable them to improve their facilities - facilities they will continue to make available for community use after school. The playing fields, playground and recreational open space will be expanded and upgraded.  The school district will have a significant pool of funds for new administrative offices, child care facilities, new schools and capital improvements.

What about the additional $3.8 million?
It is imperative that the community fundraising efforts raise the remaining $3.8 million to repay the three-year loan which the City of Del Mar has signed.  Defaulting on this loan would significantly negatively affect the City's bond rating.  The City is currently looking at alternative funding opportunities based on the community's suggestions.  These include the issuance of a bond, which would require a vote of residents.

Who is the Campaign for Del Mar Shores?
The Campaign for Del Mar Shores is a joint effort of the Friends of Del Mar Parks and The Winston School, and is supported by both the Del Mar Foundation and the City of Del Mar. Numerous Del Mar residents and Winston School parents are volunteers for this effort.  The Campaign's mission is to preserve and protect the old Del Mar Shores School site for recreation and open space, and as a permanent home for the Winston School. Through the acquisition of the Shores, the Campaign will ensure that the property will remain open for public enjoyment. The Campaign echoes previous successful community fundraising drives to acquire the beachfront Powerhouse Park, refurbish the historic Powerhouse building and acquire and convert the historic St. James church building into a community library.

What can I do to help?

Your contribution will make this dream a reality. 

Donate Online

or print this

contribution agreement

and mail your contribution to:
Friends of Del Mar Parks
P.O. Box 562, Del Mar, CA 92014.
For appreciated assets, please call 858-481-4201. We are a certified 501c3 tax exempt non-profit California Corporation.  Our tax ID number is 26-3194220. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

For more information about creating your legacy benefiting our community, children, and schools, call 858-481-4201, or email info@delmarshores.org.

What is the Shores' history and Kerckhoff legacy?
The Shores property along Camino Del Mar on 9th Street is indelibly linked to the history of this community and the North Coast region. It was the site of the original Del Mar train station from the late 1800s through the early 1900s when it was shifted to its present location on Coast Blvd.

The property was acquired in 1906 by the South Coast Land Company led by partners Col. Ed Fletcher, William G. Kerckhoff, Henry Keller, Charles Canfield of Standard Oil of California and Henry Huntington of Pacific Electric Railway. Kerckhoff's own company eventually took title and conveyed it to the struggling Del Mar School District in 1946 with the deed restriction that the property be used for "school purposes only" with a prohibition against commercial or residential development.

The Del Mar Shores School was built in 1947 and expanded to accommodate children in Del Mar, Del Mar Heights, Sorrento Valley and what is now Carmel Valley. This founding school of the Del Mar Unified School District (DMUSD) was the source of its renowned curriculum enriched with arts and science and for academic achievement supported by active parent involvement. By the early 1970s the student population had outgrown the Shores facility so two new schools were built further inland and the Shores was closed. After a succession of tenants, the property was leased to The Winston School in 1988.