The La Jolla Recreation Center will drop from 60 to 40 weekly operating hours under San Diego's adopted fiscal year 2027 budget, a one-third reduction that represents an estimated $80,000 in annual savings. The city said it chose to fund police license plate readers rather than fully restore the hours.

The La Jolla Community Recreation Group, the volunteer board that advises the city on the Prospect Street facility, meets Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. in the rec center auditorium to hear updates from city staff and District 1 representative Joaquin Quintero. The meeting is the first since the board voted in June to formally oppose the cut.

Quintero confirmed the 40-hour allocation at the board's Wednesday, June 24, meeting, according to minutes posted by the city. The City Council adopted the budget unanimously, he reported.

Board chairperson Alan Dulgeroff questioned why the police department wouldn't cover the cost of the readers through its own budget, given that the city said the technology creates efficiencies and savings within the department.

"The estimated $80,000 in annual reduction from this recreation center reduction is de minimis compared to the significant benefits of programs and to the community," Dulgeroff said at the June 24 meeting.

The board then voted 3-0-1 to recommend the city maintain all 60 hours. The city has not budged. Jan Harris, Pat Miller and Anne Wiklund voted in favor; Dulgeroff abstained. If the reduction stands, the board proposed a fallback schedule: Monday noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and no Sunday hours.

Harris warned at the group's May 27 meeting that the center could lose revenue-generating programs if hours are cut during peak times.

Parks and Recreation area manager Juliette Suleiman told the board on June 24 that staff were awaiting further direction and that the new hours were not expected to take effect immediately. No timeline for implementation has been announced.

Wednesday's agenda lists staff reports from Suleiman and Recreation Center Director II Nicholas Volpe, along with Quintero's district update. No formal vote on the hours cut is scheduled, but the meeting is open to public comment.

Residents who wish to speak must contact Volpe at [email protected] or 858-552-1658 at least 24 hours before the meeting. The La Jolla Recreation Center is at 615 Prospect St.