An Evening with the Yale University Whiffenpoofs
A Fundraiser for the Honeymoon Bridge Reconstruction Project in Balboa Park
In the 1930s, The Bridge was said to “guarantee couples eternal love” if they walked across.
Nonprofit Friends of Balboa Park is hosting a fundraiser from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Sunday, January 13 at the Prado Ballroom in Balboa Park, featuring the world famous Yale Whiffenpoofs, America’s oldest collegiate a capella singing group, to benefit Friends’ newest Balboa Park improvement project: Reconstruction of the 1935 Palm Canyon Honeymoon Bridge.
In 2018, Friends of Balboa Park began due diligence efforts on reconstruction of the 1935 Honeymoon Bridge, a log-truss foot bridge that spanned Balboa Park’s Palm Canyon for about twenty years until torn down sometime in the 1950s. The original bridge, designed by famed California architect Richard Requa, featured a number of whimsical elements, including mission-style bells with jade glass hung from shepherd’s hooks that served as lights and wood-plank walkways.
The Friends plan to recreate these elements, and utilize wood repurposed from end-of-life trees in Balboa Park as much as possible. At 150 feet in length, the bridge connected two of Balboa Park’s most beloved destinations: Alcazar Garden and the International Cottages. The original concrete and stone abutments on each side of the canyon still exist, and will be integrated into the re-created structure.
“Friends is very excited to add the Honeymoon Bridge project to our portfolio because it speaks to the very heart of what we do as an organization – preserve and enhance Balboa Park,” said Friends of Balboa Park Executive Director John Bolthouse. “In the 1930s, The Bridge was said to ‘guarantee couples eternal love’ if they walked across, and we are thrilled to be able to recreate that for Park visitors once again.”
The project will be a centerpiece feature of a comprehensive site improvement plan being stewarded by the City of San Diego’s Parks & Recreation Department. The Whiffenpoofs concert is the public launch of fundraising for the project, and Friends of Balboa Park intends to use the funds to complete construction drawings, and help secure major funding for the construction project.
For more information or to purchase tickets, which are $85, visit www.FriendsofBalboaPark.org or call 619-232-2282.
Category: Education, Events, Local News
