County OKs Park in Colton

A parched stretch of riverfront land, strewn with discarded couches and broken television sets, would be transformed into a 200-acre regional park with a lake, baseball diamonds, soccer fields and a wetlands preserve under a plan approved Tuesday by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

The $10-million park, proposed on the banks of the Santa Ana River in Colton, would be the first regional park built in the county in more than 20 years, officials said, and would create a much needed recreation area for a working-class neighborhood that was once home to a county-owned landfill. Today, the area is a favorite spot for illegal dumping, and there are no parks in the area.

“This is something that would not only benefit Colton but a lot of cities in the region,” said Colton Councilwoman Sarah S. Zamora. “This is something that has been long overdue.”

Under the plan, Colton and San Bernardino County would purchase the vacant land adjoining the river using federal Environmental Protection Agency grants earmarked to restore environmentally damaged property. The Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve open space, has set aside more than $1 million to purchase adjacent private property to help complete the project.

“This is probably the most exciting thing to happen to the city of Colton in a few years,” said Al Holliman, the city’s assistant manager.

The park, which is expected to be completed in five years, is anticipated to include a 7- to 10-acre lake, about 50 acres of soccer fields, a playground, restrooms and a picnic area. Most of the park will be left as a wild-land preserve, with a network of bike and walking paths through the open space.

Once completed, the park will be turned over to Colton, which will use park fees to pay for maintenance costs.

Supervisor Jerry Eaves, whose district includes Colton, praised the joint efforts of the county and Colton to build the only regional park in the south-central region of the county.

The idea for the park grew out of a lucky coincidence. Officials from Colton and the county had separately applied for and received EPA grants to redevelop the area along the river. When city and county officials learned that they were all working to revive the same area, they decided to pool the grants and work together.

The property targeted for use is a stretch of dry, sandy land covered with alluvial scrub, bamboo and other native plant life. A few industrial buildings, a railroad line and a blue-collar neighborhood along Fogg and Congress streets border the property. The preserve is expected to help protect several species that thrive in the region, including the endangered Santa Ana River woolly star, a purple-flowered plant.

David Meyers, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy, said the project will give area residents, particularly children, an opportunity to explore the habitat and wildlife along the river. “It’s really a great opportunity,” he said. “It will bring some great recreation to the area and restore some habitat.”