The unincorporated community of Los Osos is lobbying the county Board of Supervisors to act to secure the former Sunnyside school property on LOVR as a potential site for a number of community uses.
The former school, across from Los Osos Community Park, is owned by San Luis Coastal School District, who has indicated a willingness to sell. The Board of Supervisors, after hearing from several community groups, is expected to consider purchase of the property at the end of this month.
A letter sent recently to the Board from Chair of the Los Osos Community Advisory Council (LOCAC) Trish Bartel and the entire council, advises “LOCAC has an enormous interest in utilizing this site for park and recreation activities in Los Osos/Baywood. As you are aware Los Osos/Baywood has the smallest percentage of parks in SLO County per population. The residents of Los Osos/Baywood paid over $26 million in taxes in 2022/2023. We are asking that a portion of those dollars be used to purchase the school site for Los Osos/Baywood active recreational needs.”
Ideas for the Sunnyside school site that have surfaced include
-Dog Park
-Pickleball courts
-Community gardens (purple water available on site)
-Inclusive playground
-Sport fields
-Community events in the Auditorium (site is connected to the sewer)
In addition, Sunnyside school could take on the role of a County Government Center. Some potential ideas are:
-Moving Sheriff operations from 10th Street
-County Health
-Library alternative site
-Cal Fire
Community activist Linde Owen comments that” Sunnyside is the best expansion of community parks and activities that will never be available later. Past vision from a couple of us was called Sunnyside Up! So many possibilities, positive places for community involvement.”
Almost ten years ago, the Los Osos Community Services District (CSD) took up the idea noting that the city of 14,000 is woefully short on park space.Today the notion to use the 5-acre open space continues to bubble. CSD General Manager Ron Munds adds that that “this issue is still on the front burner today.”
Locals are calling for a community forum to discuss alternative plans once the Supervisors make up their mind.
Sunnyside has a long history in Los Osos starting as a one-room school house. A news report remembers the it was originally called Sand Hill School because the area was nothing but sand. The Sand Hill name was changed and it became Sunny Side School District in 1891. The district closed Sunnyside as an elementary school site in 2004 due to lack of population growth.