Civita Park, USA

A decade ago it was a sand and gravel quarry, a brownfield carved out of the northern slopes of Mission Valley over the past 80 years.

Today, it is a place for concerts under a cloud-like amphitheater stage; a series of trails sporting lifelike bronze rabbits, two cats and a French bulldog named Dumpling; play fields and basketball courts; a community garden with 38 plots waiting to be doled out to do-it-yourself backyard gardeners; a waterfall and man-made creek; a military tribute plaza; and coming in the next phase, rock and climbing walls, specialty gardens; a recreation center; and a museum dedicated to Mission Valley history.