Two new parks approved in West County
Two new parks approved in West County
Camp Meeker Forest and Russian River Redwoods will soon be public land. Our reporter takes a ramble through one.
On Tuesday afternoon, I was feeling restless. The coffee I had drunk four hours before was beginning to wear off, and the darkness of Taylor Lane’s second floor was beginning to give me temporary seasonal depression.
I needed a break—which is why it was perfect that the Board of Supervisor’s had that morning approved the acquisition of part of St. Dorothy’s Rest, an Episcopal Camp and Retreat Center, by Camp Meeker Recreation & Parks District.
The new park’s trails are just a few minutes north of Occidental’s downtown, at the top of a few curvy and fear-inducing single-lane roads off of Bohemian Highway.
When I arrived on the premises, I was immediately taken aback by the tranquility.
The rustling leaves above me and the crunching sticks beneath me were the only thing I could hear as I weaved my way through pockets of sunshine interspersed with the shade of the towering redwoods.
The area, which will now be called Camp Meeker Forest Open Space Preserve, has long been a favorite for local hikers, since St. Dorothy’s has never been too restrictive with their access—and since it’s basically the backyard of Camp Meeker’s 400 or so residents. (St. Dorothy’s Rest will continue to operate their camps and retreats for the foreseeable future, and will maintain ownership over some of the land.)
The beginning of the trail I started is right on the corner of Railroad Ave. and St. Dorothy Ave. While the park will not technically be open to the public for a few years, the trails which line the area are sure to be traversed by wanderers in the meantime.
The county also has some funds to spruce up the park a bit before—eventually—Camp Meeker Recreation & Parks District will add amenities such as signage and trail maintenance a couple years down the road.
“We are excited about the opportunity to make a public space that is available to people all the time,” said Jen Kuszmar, Acquisition Manager at the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. “It really is the backdrop of the community of Camp Meeker.”
I would find out later that another West County open space, Russian River Redwoods, had also been approved to become public land by the Board of Supervisor’s that day. The 394-acre property, once known as “Silver Estates,” was set to be logged before Russian River County Sanitation District acquired it using $6.18 million funds from the county.
The land houses old growth redwood trees along one mile of Russian River shoreline. Recreational activities are expected to become available at the space in the future.
The acquisition of the 356-acre St. Dorothy’s Rest used $2.225 million of taxpayer funds.
The transfer of both properties is being administered by staff at the Board of Supervisors-directed Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.
“I worked for years on these two projects, and I’m thrilled that they are officially funded,” wrote 5th District Supervisor Lynda Hopkins in a press release on Wednesday. “There are many steps still to come. It will be a while until these parks open to the public. But we are on our way!”
