Cabrillo Pavilion and Cabrillo Ball Park receive community beautification awards

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Cabrillo Pavilion and the Cabrillo Ball Park both recently received awards for community beautification during nonprofit organization Santa Barbara Beautiful's annual awards gala on Sunday.

The newly-renovated Cabrillo Pavilion received the President's Award for its outstanding contribution to the city's beauty.

"The original theme of the capital campaign, 'Restore, Renew, Revitalize,' perfectly captured the goals of bringing this 1926 historic landmark building into the future for generations of locals and visitors to enjoy," said Santa Barbara Beautiful President, Deborah Schwartz. "My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all who made the renovation of this community destination, recreation icon, and sought-after social venue possible."

The pavilion's renovation was completed in 2020 after a decades-long planning effort led by the city's Parks and Recreation Department. The COVID-19 pandemic dampened plans for a grand reopening, but the pavilion has quickly become a top event destination as its one of the city's only beachfront venues, according to city spokeswoman Kacey Drescher.

The facility also serves as a center for recreation by hosting local families with youth programming, such as Junior Lifeguards, and providing East Beach with a fitness center, locker rooms, and showers for public use, Drescher said.

The Cabrillo Ball Park received the Santa Barbara Commons Public Open Space Award for the park's oceanfront setting for community gatherings and public enjoyment. The four-acre park is home to the city's premier ball field, contains a collection of outdoor fitness stations, and the Herbert E. Bayer Chromatic Gate sculpture.