Soquel Canyon History Presentation at Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center

A week from today, Friday, 25 September @ 6 p.m. (a 5:30 meet/greet and light snacks, as well) for some history of Soquel Canyon at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center at 4200 Carbon Canyon Road in Brea.

The discussion goes back to the 1850s when a wanted murderer was captured in the canyon and includes the oil boom town of Petrolia from the 1880s, the Chino Ranch Ride from the 1930s onward and the Aerojet munitions testing facility during the Cold War, and more.

Hope to see you there!

Olinda History Presentation at Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Next Friday

The Discovery Center at Chino Hills State Park is the setting for a series of Naturalist Night presentations and next Friday, 31 July at the facility, located at 4500 Carbon Canyon Road in Brea, is a discussion of some of the history of Olinda.

This includes the ranch, the briefly boosted boom town of Carlton, the oil field, and more.  A meet-and-greet is at 5 p.m., with the talk at 6 p.m. and a Q&A about the park at 7 p.m.  Artifacts related to Olinda will also be on display.

We hope to see you there!

Olinda History Presentation at Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center on 31 July

On Friday, 31 July at 6 p.m. at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center, 4500 Carbon Canyon Road in Brea just east of Carbon Canyon Regional Park, the Friends of Chino Hills State Park is hosting a presentation on some of the history of Olinda, the portion of Brea that was a ranch, location of the short-lived boomtown of Carlton and then, for decades, a very productive oil field, among the last of which is now being decomissioned and developed as the Brea265 project.

The illustrated talk will feature great historic photos, including of the Olinda School and oil wells, as well as maps, newspaper articles and more detailing some of the remarkable history of this area, with ties to Brazil and the Hawaiian island of Maui, as well as locally.

A caveat is that traffic eastbound at that time of day is quite heavy and the backup on Carbon Canyon can be lengthy from Valencia Avenue, so, anyone coming from the west (Orange County) should be aware of those conditions.  If you're from that side of the Canyon and have time, come early to see a bit of the park (bearing in mind summer weather) and see the exhibits at the Discovery Center before the talk.

We hope to see you there!

Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Open House This Saturday!

This Saturday the 22nd from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be an Open House at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center at 4500 Carbon Canyon Road in Brea.

Sponsored by California State Parks, the local environmental advocacy group Hills for Everyone, and the Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association, the event also received funding from Toyota Motor Company through the National Environmental Education Foundation for the schedule of activities. These include:

• Information booths for organizations like the sponsors as well as the California Department of Fish and Game, Orange County Parks, the federal department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Brea/Fullerton fire department; 
• Three 25-minute ranger-led interpretive programs on mountain lions (10:15-10;40), adapatable coyotes (11:15-11:40), and rattlesnakes (12:15-12:40)
• A ranger-guided mountain bike ride at 10:30; 
• Three 20-minute walks on the center's interpretive trail at 10:15, 11:15, and 12:15 led by a state parks interpretive scientist;
• Face-painting throughout the event;
• Kids' crafts from 10:30-12:30; and
• A photo booth from 10:30-12:30

The combined Brea and Fullerton fire department will also have a fire engine on display and visitors who love the center and the park can sign-up to be a volunteer.

For more information, please click here for the Hills for Everyone Web site.

Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Exhibit Opening

Tables for the Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association, Hills for Everyone and other groups greeted visitors to the official opening of the state park's Discovery Center exhibit.

Last Saturday morning, the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center officially opened its exhibit space to the public, after a lengthy delay following the center's opening some time ago.  In front of the facility were tables from California State Parks, the Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association, and Hills for Everyone, the latter association being the driving force in preserving the land that became the park nearly 35 years ago.

Discovery Center exhibit components like this great contour map of the state park and surrounding areas give a vivid picture of the park's ecosystem, plant and animal life, recreational opportunities and overall value in a highly-developed megalopolis.

First, encouraged to check out a PowerPoint-aided lecture, a detour was taken into the multi-purpose space across the entry plaza.  California State Parks historian James Newland gave an interesting talk on the many political, economic and other issues surrounding the designation of Yosemite as the first state park in 1864, though problems with its management led to its reassignment under the fledgling national park system several decades later.

High-quality interactives abound, including microscopic views of animal life and this light-up display showing the habitat of different animal species within the park--in this case, the very broad sweep of habitat occupied by mountain lions throughout the 14,000-acre park and beyond.  This is a major reason to preserve as much of the Puente-Chino Hills complex to allow for habitat preservation for all kinds of plant and animal species.

Newland pointed out that the Republican Party took advantage of its Civil War-era dominance in California to push the project to make Yosermite a park with Congress and that identifying the connections between politicians, landowners near the site, and others were crucial to understanding how the project was pursued.

Another interesting interactive feature allows for viewing under magnification some of the insects found within the Chino Hills State Park area.

Although the creation of Yosemite as a park was not as altruistic as some interpretations have stated, Newland's main point was that "it got done" and the designation set the template for what has been called "America's best idea," that is, the creation of the national parks system (though Newland was quick to add that the 280-plus California State Parks system is pretty amazing, as well, provided it gets adequate funding.)

A microscope allows visitors to view some of the smaller inhabitants of the diverse ecosystem within the park.

Then, it was on to the exhibit, which was in a space that was not particularly large, perhaps around 700-800 square feet, but it was well laid out, provided interesting comparisons and contrasts with the park and the urban spaces around it and gave good information on the flora and fauna to be found in the 14,000-plus acre park.

A particularly important component of the exhibit was the "Living on the Urban Edge" section, discussing the interactions of the wildlands in the natural environment and the densely populated and heavily developed suburban region around it.  This area was very well thought out and executed.

Interactives abounded, including magnified examples of plant and animal life located in the park, a light-up map showing the range of habitat for certain animals, such as the mountain lion, and others showing the impact of suburbia on the natural environment.  There is plenty for kids of all ages to see and do as they learn about the park and the local environment.

Another crucial element to the displays concerned the devastating effects of wildfire, particularly with continuing suburban encroachment on wildland areas, such as within the state park.  

There was little about social or cultural history, though some mention of native Indians (though the use of the term Tongva to denote the aboriginal people is being seriously called into question as several groups of Gabrieleno Indians claim legitimacy,) but, given the fact that the park is largely based on its natural features, the focus on plant and animal life makes sense.

With all of the great material indoors, it shouldn't be forgotten that improvements have been made to the short nature trail just outside the Discovery Center, with new signage such as this that further discuss the important interrelationships between the natural and built environments.  It's easy to poke fun or dismiss the "circle of life," but the truth is that we're very closely connected to the plant and animal habitats we assume we "control."

In all, the exhibit is a thoughtfully-planned and well-executed orientation that gives visitors a good overview of a true gem amid our expanding megalopolis and it's light years advanced from the time of static exhibits that used to be (well, still can be in many cases) standard at park sites.  The folks at State Parks are to be commended for crafting something that works better with changing learning styles, interests and ways of accessing information.

Even with our drought-parched landscape, the Carbon Canyon/Soquel Canyon intersection provides a beautiful setting for the Discovery Center.  The clear blue sky and collection of cloud formations added to the scenery.

Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Exhibits Opening Sunday

This Sunday the 28th, from 10 a.m. to Noon, an exhibit will be unveiled at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center, located at 4500 Carbon Canyon Road in Brea, just east of Carbon Canyon Regional Park.

Although the Center has been open for a few years now, the exhibits have been long delayed.  An article in tomorrow morning's Champion does not specify the content in the displays, but they will, of course, detail the natural and cultural history of the state park and surrounding area.

In addition to a ribbon-cutting ceremony, there will be presentations from a state park environmental scientist, a showing of a state parks video commemorating the system's 150th birthday through the establishment of the Yosemite state park (now a national park), and walks through the newly-revamped nature trail that surrounds the center.

This long-awaited opening is another milestone in the development of the Discovery Center and the continued enhancement of Chino Hills State Park, a jewel of over 14,000 acres of preserved land in a heavily-urbanized environment.

Second Weekend of Freeway Complex Fire Exhibit at Chino Hills State Park

Following on the heels of last weekend's opening of an exhibit, sponsored by Hills for Everyone, at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Freeway Complex Fire of November 2008, the second and final weekend of the showing is this Saturday and Sunday the 23rd and 24th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

These .pdf files of exhibit boards shown at the Chino State Park Discovery Center exhibit to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the 2008 Freeway Complex Fire are courtesy of Hills for Everyone.  Click on a photo to see it and the others show here in a larger view in a separate window.

There is plenty of interesting and informative material to view, including photos, videos, articles and reports dealing specifically with the devastating conflagration, but also fire issues generally.  Exhibit boards showing what happened during and after the fire also provide good visual snapshots of the events of half a decade back.

As noted before, the spate of hillside housing projects like Madrona in Brea and two others in Yorba Linda, now that the economy has grown enough for developers to start selling their wares again in fire-sensitive areas, makes this exhibit timelier than ever. 

The Madrona project, calling for 162 upscale houses on 367 acres, has burned FIVE time in the last several decades.  Yorba Linda experienced devastating home losses in 2008 yet new projects continue to be pitched for areas that will burn again.

Exhibits like this give graphic and vivid testimony to the perils of continuing to build houses in wildfire-prone regions.  As the Madrona project inches closer to a final decision on the appeal of the Brea Planning Commission's narrow (3-2, one of the commissioners who voted for the project resigned this past August and now represents Madrona as a public relations consultant!) approval just weeks before the Freeway Complex Fire erupted. it becomes increasingly necessary for people to become more aware of the wildfire risk.

Thanks to Hills for Everyone for taking the time and effort to provide this important public service.

Freeway Complex Fire Exhibit at Chino Hills State Park

This image and several below are boards put together by Hills for Everyone for the events held this weekend and next at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center commemorating the 5th anniversary of the Freeway Complex Fire of 2008.  Click on any image here to see it in a larger view in a separate window.

This weekend marked the fifth anniversary of the Freeway Complex Fire of November 2008, an event that burned almost the entirety of Chino Hills State Park and the Brea side of Carbon Canyon, while threatening to overwhelm Sleepy Hollow and other areas of the Chino Hills portion of the canyon before the flames were suddenly diverted and headed elsewhere.

Hills for Everyone, the non-profit that was instrumental in the creation of the state park and which continues to work for the preservation of open space in the area, held this Saturday and Sunday the first of its two weekends of exhibits at the state park's Discovery Center.  Components of the event included display boards showing the fire, the results, and the recovery; newspaper articles covering the conflagration; reports dealing with the blaze and with wildfire issues generally; videos of the fire and of wildfire matters in the region; material from the Carbon Canyon Fire Safe Council and Hills for Everyone; and more.

It appears that visitation was strong over both days and it is hoped that it will continue to be so next weekend, the 23rd and 24th, when the event is held again.  For those who live in or near Carbon Canyon or in or near areas susceptible to wildfires and their effects, the event and its exhibits are essential.

Viewing the exhibits are also important to the further understanding of how the relentless push, mediated somewhat by economic downturns and then revitalized by recovery, for new housing developments in fire-sensitive areas continues to be of concern.

This is true at the moment with the ill-conceived, but still possible, Madrona (formerly Canyon Crest) project of 162 houses on 367 acres on the Brea side of Carbon Canyon between Olinda Village and Sleepy Hollow, a project that sits on a site that has burned several times in recent decades and that will again (and one which has a whole host of other problems, as has been discussed before and will be more).  Tuesday the 19th, in fact, is when a staff report on the status of the Madrona project will be presented to the Brea city council, preliminary to hearings in late January and into February that will lead to a vote by that body on the appeal to the narrow 3-2 Planning Commission decision to approve of the then-Canyon Crest project--a decision that came just before the disastrous Freeway Complex Fire.

There are also two approved projects totaling 100 houses on the Chino Hills side, an application for another there that would be involve more units than that, and other in-process projects in Yorba Linda, a city that experienced significant destruction of homes in hillside areas during the 2008 fires, yet which continues to be builder-friendly.

Further off in the future, there is also the Shell-Aera properties in unincorporated Orange and Los Angeles counties north and west of Brea, which will certainly be the location of more housing projects.  And, who knows what the future portends for Tonner Canyon, almost all held by the City of Industry and some of which is not far north of Carbon Canyon.

Huge wildfires continue to be a problem throughout the western United States, much less our area.  The effects of climate change almost certainly will continue to be brought to bear, including through long-term drought that creates conditions for larger and more devastating wildfires, less water supply, and other effects.  To discount this and to act as if housing projects in wildfire-prone areas can somehow be conducted under old models, standards and conditions is not just bad public policy, it is a dangerous folly.

A long weekend last week in Julian reiterated the problems.  In 2003, the massive Cedar fire consumed a staggering 15% of the land area of San Diego County (this blogger was just leaving San Diego when that conflagration broke out and drove out on I-15 as flames roared nearby.)  In Julian and surrounding areas, the devastation was significant.  A hike in the Santa Ysabel Land Preserve featured a couple of display panels chronicling the devastation of the fire and the fact that wildfires are to be expected in backcountry areas--except that the human presence continues to grow, as it has over the last several decades in Carbon Canyon and its environs.

This photo and the one below are from text panels at the Santa Ysabel Land Preserve near Julian in San Diego County and discuss the effects of the 2003 Cedar Fire on the local area.

Certainly, those of us living in existing dwellings in the Canyon accept the consequences, as do the folks in Julian, for residing in a wildfire zone.  This doesn't mean, though, the local officials are exempt from the responsibility of carefully considering consequences when deciding to approve housing projects.  Land owners and developers don't have to worry about those consequences.  They reap the short-term rewards and leave the long-term issues for the cities and counties to deal with (or not, in some cases.)

There is a tipping point--and it's not just fire risk.  It is also decreasing habitat, increasing traffic, growing and often wasteful water use, landslide of unstable slopes, and more.   But, fire becomes the preeminent health and safety hazard and government, whose primary responsibility is (or should be) the health and safety of their constituents, should be mindful of this before approving housing projects in dangerous locations.

Events like the one held by Hills for Everyone this weekend and next bring needed attention to the question.  Anyone concerned ought to go, see the exhibits, talk to those staffing the room and become better educated.  It's vital for the future of Carbon Canyon and nearby areas.

Freeway Complex Fire Anniversary Events Coming Up

Courtesy of the good people at Hills For Everyone, there will be a special event commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Freeway Complex Fire of November 2008 at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center at 4500 Carbon Canyon Road in Brea.  The event will take place over the next two weekends, Saturday and Sunday 16 and 17 and 23 and 24 November from 9 a.m. to Noon with free parking for those visiting the center during the program.

Courtesy of Hills for Everyone.

There will be videos, photos, maps, news articles and other material documenting the effects of the massive fire, which broke out off the 91 Freeway in Anaheim Hills and quickly moved north, destroying many structures in Anaheim Hills and Yorba Linda before charring 95% of Chino Hills State Park, while another fire that erupted in the hills above Brea moved eastward. 

The two burned substantial portions of the Brea side of Carbon Canyon, destroying the Manely Friends stable complex and coming very close to Hollydale Mobile Home Estates and residences in Olinda Village and completely burning the site where the Madrona (formerly Canyon Crest) housing project has been proposed for many years and an appeal of which is to be heard by the Brea City Council in January and February--this site has actually been hit by wildfires five times in the last 46 years.

On the Chino Hills side of Carbon Canyon, the fire didn't have the impact that it did to the west, although flames got dangerously close to the community of Sleepy Hollow before suddenly and providentially taking a turn to the east.  Many residents of the canyon spent up to three nights under mandatory evacuation orders and greater preparation by residents, fire departments, city staff and other authorities helped make the response far superior than during the previous major fires including those in 1990, 1978, 1958 and 1929, as well as many lesser ones.

Fire season in our region is now year round and the threat of another massive blaze like that of 2008 is always present, especially with another low rainfall year and dry, windy conditions from the Santa Ana effect coming around this time of year (and, in fact, right now.)  For the existing residents of Carbon Canyon, it is vital to be as prepared and fire-wise as possible and for planners in Brea, Chino Hills, Orange and San Bernardino counties and the state, smart public policy in terms of future development, fire preparation, emergency access and other matters becomes more critical.

So, this event by Hills for Everyone is an important one to attend for all those who live in Carbon Canyon and/or are curious to know about the wildfire threat and history of the region.  For more on the organization, click here.

Chino Hills State Park To Be Open Every Day From 1 April

No kidding.  As reported in today's edition of The Champion, Chino Hills State Park will be open every day, starting on Monday, 1 April.  The park had been open Friday through Monday since fall 2011, but the savings from the closure allowed new rangers to be hired quicker than was anticipated before the conclusion of the fiscal year, so the new schedule came earlier.

However, park superintendent Kelly Elliot cautioned that the every day schedule is dependent on what happens with the 2013-14 budget year, which begins on the first of July. 

Park hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from April through September and then will go into winter hours from October to March from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Again, if budget conditions dictate, the schedule of days could change from every day to fewer days.

The paper also related that work on the Chino Hills entrance road, which is being paved from Sapphire Drive to the the campgroun facilities has been delayed because of a contractor change.  The $8 million project, funded by grants, had been slated to be finished within a year, but it appears the work will not be completed by August as planned.  Meantime, the Brea entrance off Carbon Canyon Road is the accessibility point for vehicles and the Yorba Linda entrance is also open.

At that location's Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center, the article concluded, there will be a presentation by Grace Clark, a volunteer naturalist, discussing mountain lions on Saturday, 6 April at 1:00 p.m.  Information on that event can be found by calling (951) 780-6222.

California State Parks Film Showing in Carbon Canyon

This afternoon there was an excellent documentary film about California State Parks, called California Forever, which premiered this afternoon at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center in the Brea side of Carbon Canyon.  This evening was a larger event that featured a showing, a silent auction, and other activities.

The film provided a very solid and interesting overview of the history of the system, starting with the world's very first national designation of a place for preservation: the federal government's donation of Yosemite Valley to the State of California in the 1860s.  While John Muir's later forays into the Sierra Nevada Mountains made him the major symbolic figure of environmental stewardship, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, most famous for his design of New York City's Central Park, was hired to craft a plan for the management of the valley.  Although Olmsted put a great deal of thought about the future of Yosemite, his prescient vision was disregarded.

Unfortunately, and this is very contemporary, overbuilding and overuse for the remaining part of the century deteriorated the condition of one of the most beautiful places on earth and, in 1906, Congress rescinded the act and Yosemite became a national park instead.

It was twenty more years until California organized a state parks department and much had changed as the population of the state continued to grow, especially during the so-called Roaring Twenties.  In 1928, the parks department was organized and an $8 million bond measure was passed by voters with a margin of more than 3 to 1, demonstrating how committed California's citizens were generally to preservation of land and the creation of recreational opportunities.

Notably, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., like his father a major landscape architect who also created a parks plan for Los Angeles that was disregarded, spent a year working to identify well over one hundred significant sites to be included in the new state parks system and submitted his remarkable plan in 1929.

Even in the Great Depression years, federal and state programs used unemployed workers to build roads, camping facilities, restore and recreate historic structures, and other valuable work to shore up the parks system.   With the post-World War II population boom and increase in tourism, California State Parks became a model for other states and countries to emulate, not unlike our highway and educational systems.

The film covered many areas of the park system, from natural areas to historic sites and to the important work by Claire Schlotterbeck of Olinda Village and her Hills for Everyone organization, whose monumental task to create Chino Hills State Park thirty years ago cannot be overestimated in its importance.

Not discussed were current conditions, in which budgets have been slashed, services stifled and the threat of massive closures to a system that serves 80 million visitors annually.  It was more than ironic to see comments from parks director Ruth Coleman, who abruptly resigned recently after over $50 million were found hidden in accounts concealed by department employees, apparently without Coleman's knowledge, but she had to fall on her proverbial sword.

Still, it seems obvious that the film was made to bring attention to the obvious need for California State Parks to be given the credit, attention and money it deserves.  It'd be nice to think that enough people will see this well-done documentary to help that happen, but the state's problems are of such breadth, depth and magnitude that it hardly seems likely.

A post-showing hike up a bit of Telegraph Canyon and the Diemer Trail to the South Ridge Trail overlooking Yorba Linda was a nice way to get in a little exercise and direct appreciation for the immense value of Chino Hills State Park.  And, a delicious camarones a la diabla on the patio amidst a nice sunset at the wonderful Sol de México restaurant in Olinda Village, always highly recommended, capped off a fine excursion.

California State Parks film at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Next Saturday

Offered by the group Hills for Everyone, a fundraiser and premiere showing of a new 75-minute film on California's state parks, titled California Forever, will be at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center in Brea next Saturday, 8 September.

There will be a film showing at 3:00 p.m. with tickets priced at $12.50 and a family pack of four for $40.  An evening fundraising event with a 7 p.m. showing, wine and dessert, and a silent auction is $25 per person or $40 for a couple.

There will be a longer version of the movie aired this Fall by PBS, but this is a chance to get an early viewing.  The silent auction includes such items as hotel stays, restaurant certificates, a framed photo of Chino Hills State Park, gift baskets, a stay at a Mammoth condo, and more.

For more information, see here.

New Weather Station in Carbon Canyon is Funded

Thanks to the hard work of Olinda Village resident and Carbon Canyon Fire Safe Council member Eric Johnson, a grant from Southern California Edison was secured to assist with the purchase and installation of a weather station at the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center in Brea.

The station will allow for the measurement of humidity, temperature, wind, and rainfall so that public agencies, emergency response teams and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitor conditions in the Canyon area and have access to the information recorded by the station in real-time through the Internet.

Emergency preparedness, fire prevention and disaster recovery efforts have come a long way in the Canyon since the devastating fires of 1990 and the weather station is another tool that assists in the process.

SCE will present the check to Fire Safe Council members on Friday afternoon at the Discovery Center as the next step in this important landmark for the Canyon.

Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Open House This Saturday

This Saturday, 1 October from 9 to 11:30 a.m., there will be an open house at the new Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center at 4500 Carbon Canyon Road, adjacent to Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea.  Though there was a "soft opening" a few months back, this is the official kick-off for those portions of the building that are finished.  The exhibit galleries are awaiting completion, but other sections will be available for viewing and there is a self-guided nature trail to explore, as well.

Also of note is an event the weekend of 8-9 October over at the Rolling M Ranch section of the park in Chino Hills in which there will be an evening program on owls at 7 p.m. on Saturday night as well as an overnight camping outing at the group camp on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.  While the owl program is free (with a $4 parking fee to enter the park), the camping outing is $10 per person or $8 for groups of four or more. 

Meantime, remember that anyone wanting to hike, bike, or run in the state park can park on the site and use the restrooms during the normal operating hours of the park.

For the Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association Web page concerning this event, please click here.  For the owl program and camping opportunity, please click here.

Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center Opens (Partially)

UPDATE, 13 September:  Here are some important clarifying comments from Hills for Everyone regarding the new Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center:

The parking lot and restrooms are now open during the day but the hours will be reduced starting October 1st. Staff will be on site Friday through Monday (when most people visit). The whole park will be closed Tuesdays through Thursdays due to budget cuts. As you may know, 70 state parks are experiencing full closures and all remaining state parks are reducing services.

There will be an Open House at the Center on October 1st from 9:00- 11:30 to explain park passes and future exhibits.

The parking lot will not ever be paved – it is a permeable surface that allows recharge of the water table.

These last two sections are good to know; first, that there'll be an Open House for visitors to learn more about the Center, its operations and its future; and, second, that the parking lot was not meant to be paved, but has the important environmental feature of water collection and recharge.

Thanks to Hills for Everyone for providing the clarification.

ORIGINAL POST:

The new summer issue of the Hills for Everyone newsletter, among several interesting items of note, reports that "at long last the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center . . . has opened its parking lot and restrooms for business."

Though the project began several years ago with funding from a state bond issue and was to have been completed long before now, the structure is finished and a new concrete sign is up, though the parking lot is still mostly unpaved and the interior exhibits are not done.

According to the HFE periodical, the parking area and restrooms "will generally be open Tuesday-Friday through September 30th," though that seems to indicate that it could be closed at any given time.  Because of budget issues, however, access to these areas will be limited to Friday through Monday. 

The unpaved parking area and partially available (that is, opened restrooms) building of the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center in Brea, as viewed this morning.

Beyond that, there is no indication so far of whether the lot will be paved soon, when exhibits might be installed and opened, or whether there is any idea whether the park could be shut down entirely if the budget worsens.

Another question involves parking on Carbon Canyon Road, which many persons have done to avoid paying the $5.00 entry fee into Carbon Canyon Regional Park, which was the previous official entry point into the park from the Brea side.  It had been stated that, once the Discovery Center opened, parking tickets would be issued to those who conitnued to park on the highway.  Whether this is true now is not clear.

At any rate, when the park is opened, parking will be available for several dozen cars, more than can squeeze onto the road's shoulder (or block the emergency phone at a pullout on the eastbound side of the highway) and it is free. 

Given the state's dire fiscal situation and all the news about state park closures and budget cuts, it seems somewhat incongruous to see a newly-built structure partially open and, in a few weeks time, at a reduced schedule.  Such is the nature of bond funding (with all the accrued interest that will, somehow, have to be paid off in the future.)