Gates will swing wide

By Kristin Berquist / Correspondent

(Updated: Thursday, January 22, 2009, 4:51 PM)

After eight years of delays and roadblocks, officials anticipate Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park will open in the spring.

"I can't even explain the goose bumps that I get when I think about the park being open finally," said Lori Gardner, administrative services director at the Madera County Resource Management Agency. "The property is beautiful. It's a real crown jewel for the area up there, and I believe it will serve the needs of the community."

Madera County owns approximately 400 acres in the area with 249 acres designated for the park located on Highway 49 in Ahwahnee.

As the opening approaches, the county and a volunteer committee, Friends of the Ahwahnee Hills Park Project, have completed various grant-funded projects, said Gardner, who has been involved in the work for the past two years.

Fern Facchino, one of five members on Friends of the Ahwahnee Hills Park Project, said the committee was formed in 2000 and meets weekly to review and go over each set of grants for the park. The committee presents recommendations to the county for the park projects. The five-member Madera County Board of Supervisors makes the final approvals.

Before becoming county property, the buildings on the site were used as a tuberculosis sanitarium and later as a boys school, Facchino said. After standing vacant for almost 20 years, the remaining four or five buildings on location are in disrepair and present a liability issue for the county, she explained.

Before the park can open, Facchino said, areas must be fenced off to restrict public access to the unsafe buildings. No plans have been finalized for the reconstruction or demolition of the remaining buildings, Facchino said. It is possible that one of the buildings may be remodeled into a community center.

What to do with the old buildings is an ongoing issue and has delayed opening the park. The park was trying to secure a contract with the state to help with the cleanup, Facchino said, but no agreement has yet been made.

"It's really, really difficult to keep focused on getting this thing open," said Facchino of the many roadblocks created by the state and county. "I would like to see it start moving faster."

District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler said the park should have opened years ago, but with a series of obstacles on a federal, state and county level, it's been virtually impossible to determine a completion date.

"It's just frustrating that nothing gets done," Wheeler said. "We're trying to put people to work. We're trying to get a park open for people to enjoy. We can't even do that because of all the roadblocks."

Wheeler has sat on the Board of Supervisors since 2006, working to finish the necessary projects to get the park open.

"We haven't had a park for years up here," Wheeler said. "This is a big park where people can walk, ride horses, ride bikes -- there are a million things they can do. It's like Woodward Park down in Fresno. I remember when that was just an open field and now look at the thousands of people that go there."

Gardner said the county is waiting for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete a study that delineates protected wetland areas in the park. Walking and equestrian trails are planned to go through these protected areas and the county must address the environmental concerns before work is started.

Four sources -- the Sierra Nevada Cascade grant, Proposition 12, Proposition 40 and the Recreation and Trails grant -- totaling approximately $1.2 million, have funded every project in the park, Facchino said. The Recreation and Trails grant was recently approved and will fund work on the walking and equestrian trails.

Oakhurst Sunrise Rotary will donate $30,000 to build soccer and baseball fields in the park adjacent to Wasuma Elementary School, Facchino said. Local adult soccer and softball leagues have agreed to do the maintenance of the fields.

Fencing off unsafe areas and completing the trails throughout the park are the two main projects remaining before the park will be open. Facchino said she hopes that by the spring opening the trails will be graded and paved. However the park may open even if the last of the work is not fully completed.

"It's going to be a real asset to the county, not only just Oakhurst and Ahwahnee," Facchino said.

Gardner said the completion of the park has been a long time coming and the community has waited patiently for the park to open.

"They know it's coming, but I can't wait for the day we can open the gate, do the ribbon cutting and say thank you for all your help and support, it's here for your enjoyment," Gardner said. "That is truly the day that I am looking forward to in getting this project wrapped up."

What's in and what's coming

Completed projects

25 each tables, benches and barbecues installed throughout the park

Two restrooms

Paved road into the park

Remodeling of the interpretive center building

Septic system

Well for drinking water, water lines and water storage

Repaired damages to dam on 15-acre pond

Biological and archeological studies for protected areas

Future projects

2.1 miles of walking trails

2.1 miles of equestrian trails

Bridges over wetlands

An approximately 4-mile cross-country course for high school races and tournaments

Parking areas

Fencing off areas around the old buildings

Soccer and baseball fields