Duarte Dedicates Encanto Park Bioswale & Outdoor Classroom
DUARTE, CA, December 8, 2010 -- Nature and the public got an early Christmas gift from the City of Duarte with the long awaited dedication of the Encanto Nature Park, Bioswale and Outdoor Classroom. The newest jewel in the regional
Emerald Necklace Project to reinvigorate urban river corridors, it is destined to be one of the most innovative recreational opportunities for Duarte residents and all those who love the San Gabriel River.
A bioswale is a constructed stream channel that conveys storm water to the ocean slowly allowing water to infiltrate locally. It also replenishes groundwater and reduces flooding along the main channels and rivers. The 1,000 foot long bioswale along the western perimeter of the 12-acre City owned Encanto Park is a "naturalized" bioswale designed to look and function as a natural stream. The bioswale treats and filtrates stormwater before it flows into the San Gabriel River. It also creates a natural habitat through the planting of native California plants. The bioswale ends in a small basin containing a thick layer of biologically active soil that further cleans and infiltrates local water. Along the path, dotted with interpretive signage and sculptures, river rock provides natural seating areas to allow visitors to the park to relax and enjoy the environment. Los Angeles based BlueGreen Consulting Open Space & Design, designed the bioswale project.
A group of 5th and 6th grade students from Valley View School in Duarte were among the first to tour the bioswale and hear from experts in the Outdoor Nature Classroom. “We’ve seen the loss of tremendous amounts of brush land and woodlands being cleared, rivers being channelized, open country, grasslands being built on, particularly in our valleys and lowland areas. So every time we see a real effort to restore or build habitats that are good for birds and other wildlife it’s really something to celebrate,” said Kimball Garrett, Ornithology Collections Manager of the Natural History Museum.
Other components of the project include the previously completed Encanto Nature Walk; a 1500 foot in length multi use path with interpretive signage along the west bank of the San Gabriel River. The walk includes a river overlook that projects nearly 200 feet out into the river channel with stone benches, and attractive drought tolerant native landscaping. The area has been transformed from a previously fenced off and inaccessible space into a pleasant walk culminating at the historic Puente Largo Bridge.
Total cost of the projects was $758,000 with grant funding coming from three primary sources the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy at $508,000, and Prop A funds of $100,000 from Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and $150,000 from Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina. Funds were originally allocated in 2008 but were suspended for a period of time as a result of the ongoing budget crisis in the State of California.
Duarte’s street maintenance staff will provide long-term maintenance of the project. For more information, call the City of Duarte (626) 357-7931, ext 221.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcPZQPA0HaI (View live footage of the ceremony on tube.)
