Nearly two years later, bocce players at La Jolla Recreation Center have a spot to sit between tosses.

Twenty months and $14,000 later, four new benches have been bolted down outside the bocce court at the La Jolla Recreation Center.

The benches, a project spearheaded by La Jollan Chas. Dye, are lined up on the Draper Avenue sidewalk, allowing bocce players and spectators a place to sit and watch the action on the popular court.

Having the benches finally installed “is a reflection of what a community this is, because there are a lot of people who did a tremendous amount of work to make this happen,” Dye said at a bench ribbon cutting June 22.

Dye thanked many for their help, including La Jolla resident and avid bocce court user Vito Formica, nonprofit Enhance La Jolla for facilitating the city of San Diego permits for the benches and processing donations, the city’s Development Services Department, Kiwanis Club of La Jolla and the private donors.

Dye himself received praise for his efforts.

“How fabulous it is for all of us older people that are able to use these benches when we’re playing,” White Sands retirement community resident Clyde Crockett said, cutting the ribbon on the bench paid for by the White Sands bocce club.

“You can’t imagine how much we appreciated the work that Chas. has done to get these benches in,” Crockett said. 

The benches, a project begun in summer 2024 that originally included three benches before growing to four and suffering permitting delays and cost increases, were funded primarily by Kiwanis, White Sands and the families of Lee Carver and Mansoor and Salwa Jabro.