Paid parking finally comes to Balboa Park. Critics worry San Diego’s crown jewel will lose its luster.

San Diego officials and frequent Balboa Park users are scrambling to prepare for a watershed moment in the park’s long history: Monday’s launch of a complex paid parking system with varying fees and discounts.

In a flurry of recent activity, the city has been installing payment kiosks, erecting informational signs, compiling the license plate numbers of park volunteers and establishing a website for frequent-user permits and city-resident discounts.

Officials have also finalized plans for expanded tram service from the one free lot that will remain — the 951-space lower Inspiration Point — and painted 150 of those spots orange for possible use by students at San Diego High.

Many park leaders continue to predict the new parking fees will notably suppress attendance at the park’s museums and other attractions, while also reducing membership in clubs focused on bridge, lawn bowling and other activities.

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