Article published - March 20, 2005
Hike to the ridge on the southeast corner of Tolay Lake Ranch and take a
look. In a 360-degree sweep, you see the San Francisco skyline, the East Bay and
Mount Diablo, Mount St. Helena, Petaluma, Marin County and Mount
Tamalpais.
On a clear day you cannot see forever, but close enough. Not
many Bay Area vistas can match this one.
And the view comes with 1,769
acres that contains rolling grasslands, a 200-acre lake (what the Coast Miwok
Indians called "Lagoon La Jara"), prehistoric Native American sites, wildlife
habitat, an oak grove, a small vineyard and a working farm - all 10 minutes
south of Petaluma.
The price for this proposed county park: $18
million.
So far a $9 million commitment from the Sonoma County Open Space
District has leveraged public and private contributions of an additional $6
million and change.
To make up the difference, less than $3 million,
Sonoma County officials are seeking foundation grants and
contributions.
When the April 18 deadline comes closer, Supervisor Mike
Kerns, the project's most ardent advocate, expects to ask the Sonoma County Open
Space District and the Board of Supervisors to cover the remaining
shortfall.
The acquisition would begin the job of making Tolay Lake that
long-sought south-county park - and the largest park in the county park system.
(Hood Mountain Regional Park contains 1,755 acres.)
Kerns and Mary Burns,
the county regional parks director, envision a park with hiking, bicycling, an
equestrian center, bird-watching and picnicking. Depending on the outcome of
wildlife studies, visitors may also launch kayaks and canoes on Tolay
Lake.
County officials have learned through bitter experience that park
sites are hard to find. Two other potential acquisitions in the south county
came unstuck in recent years.
Which means the time is now. This rare
opportunity needs to be embraced so that 10 years from now, or 100 years now,
people will be able to stand on that ridge and be inspired by what they see.
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