The Public Works Services Department wanted to provide the following update regarding Wilderness Park.
Work continues on determining the best course of action to reopen the Park. Wilderness Park was covered with even more mud/debris due to heavy rainstorms in 2023. Unfortunately, since the rain season was prolonged, it has not been safe to conduct improvements at this me. Wilderness Park will remain closed until the City is able to determine the best course of action for clean up. Proposed future renovations will include cleaning up structures that were damaged from the mudslides, installing new picnic tables and Barbeques, rebuilding staircases, clearing trails, removing damaged trees, and planting new trees. A sediment basin is also being proposed and will be imperative to collect any mud or debris that might come down from the hillside in the future. In the months ahead, Public Works staff will be conducting tree inspections and mitigations to alleviate stress on the trees affected by the mud debris.
The City has applied for Federal emergency relief funds through Cal OES and FEMA for cleanup and renovation. Assessment of the park will continue to determine the best timeline for the proposed work. The link below from the City’s website provides images and videos of some of the damage: