• Bark in the Park Day

What a great morning. Can you believe it's January? Still, anytime it's ready to rain... I think I'm ready too. How about some El Niño for the next six weeks?

We had a good combo of people volunteer to spread the bark. Plenty of young helpers, members of the boy scouts, parents, various neighbors, city officials, and a city work crew.

I had a chance to meet some Windsong Valley neighbors, Ann and Kevin White;  Maria Walker, not a Windsongian but one of the best volunteers Wildomar has; Robert Garza and crew; Kevin Jon Sax; and one particular hard worker, about 14/15 years old, named Nathan... I didn't get his last name, but he was working the shovel and wheelbarrow like a pro. There were plenty of others... but I really am terrible with names. Sorry about that.

Keith Ross helps with check in.

  At Windsong Park, we had about 6 wheelbarrows, and about 4 teams of scoopers, and a corresponding number of spreaders.

The Garza crew were on hand. Caylee, Lucy and Michael doing their part for the neighborhood park.

City officials on hand.

City Manager Gary Nordquist, Groundskeeper Kirk Schrader, Council Member Ben Benoit and Landscape Maintenance
Les Chapman survey the tree line on the north end of the park.

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Photo Montage Highlights From Marna O'Brien Park

Even a two year old (Kai), and a four year old (Saxon) were helping get the playground at Marna O'Brien ready.

Council member Bridgette Moore had been at Marna O'Brien Park, then stopped by Windsong to see the progress. She was telling me there were about the same number of volunteers at both parks. 
 

Group shot at the end of the day.
This was not quite half that were present throughout the morning.

I had a chance to speak with City Manager Gary Nordquist about when the parks will be opening. The key to the parks opening will be to have the grass ready for foot traffic first. The grass is going to be planted by way of Hydroseeding. 

No one can predict the weather, so it looked like a bad risk to try and hydroseed after October's Great Day of Service. Usually this time of year is cold, and freezing nighttime temps are normal. 

There is really only one chance at planting the grass, and making sure it is done correctly is important. I think it's prudent and wise to take whatever time is necessary. 

In the grand scheme of things, what's the difference in the parks opening March first or May first? Nothing really. Once they're opened, they'll be good to go for years... hopefully 'forever' this time round.

This is the price we've all been paying since a judge made a shortsighted decision, about something Riverside County passed when it came to the funding of the parks... long before we were a city. That's old noise at this point, and thankfully something we won't have to be pestered with any further.

By the end of the four hours, the mound was still there... but a big dent was put into it.

After the four hours of work, all the areas needing bark we're covered. Great Job! The rest of the bark will be heading to Heritage Park... which still has more work needed before the bark gets there.
 

Gotta love the magic of making a panoramic shot. Do you see the same wheelbarrower, 3 times?

 IMPORTANT NOTICE

There will be a parks subcommittee meeting at City Hall at 6:30pm, Tuesday January 21st. On the agenda is: do we want a Parks Commission; whether or not to keep the fence UP at Windsong Park after it gets reopened; and plans for parks activities.

When it comes to the fence at Windsong Park. I for one am against this fence, or any other 6 foot monstrosity being put up there. If you have an opinion on the matter, you should email both Bridgette Moore, and Marsha Swanson and let them know your opinion. 

We only have three developed city parks in Wildomar, and  Windsong Park is the same concern for anyone that is paying the current $28 park maintenance fee... no matter what part of town you live in.

I'll be covering this issue at least one more time before the meeting. So don't fret that I buried it at the bottom of the story. This blog was to celebrate the hard work by the community volunteers, we can always kvetch about the fence another day. ☺

A view of the south end of the park, and the bark that was spread.

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