SAN DIEGO — Visitors to Balboa Park may have done a double-take this week after noticing the iconic lily pond next to the Botanical Building sitting empty.
The pond was drained Monday as part of a full-scale deep cleaning — the first of its kind in approximately 15 years, according to the City of San Diego.
On Thursday, the water was restored. City crews completely drained the pond, scrubbed and cleaned the basin, repaired lily planter boxes and are refilling it with fresh water. The project is funded through the Parks and Recreation Department’s general maintenance budget…