Volunteers make park by Petaluma River a possibility

The barren waterfront lot at the end of Petaluma’s C Street is slated for a revamp after the city’s Recreation, Parks and Music Commission last week gave the green light for a volunteer-led effort to create a pocket park at the location.

The improved viewpoint area, first identified as a possible project in the 1996 Petaluma River Access and Enhancement Plan and later through Petaluma Water Ways, is intended to draw more people to the river and boost waterfront accessibility.

The design for the park on the approximately 2,360-square-foot lot, created pro bono by Larry Reed, principal of landscape architecture firm SWA Group, will feature several benches and trees, as well as an oyster shell ground cover. Efforts will be funded by local civic organizations, who also plan to complete the work necessary for the transformation.

The commission voted unanimously, with Roger Leventhal absent, to approve the project, with Chairwoman Beverly Schor calling the idea a “slam dunk no-brainer.”

A tentatively planned second phase of the project, which will require additional city approvals, is set to include a replacement of a fishing pier originally installed by the Kiwanis Club, though there’s no timeline when the club-funded pier might be up for approval, club member McKenzie Smith said.

Petaluma Valley Rotary Club and Water Ways member John FitzGerald introduced the idea for local Rotary clubs to undertake a viewpoint project several years ago, though the path to ultimate approval took longer than expected, he said.

Now, for the first stage of the project, volunteers from the city’s three Rotary clubs will seek donations for materials and raise funds, though the overall price of the project has yet to be determined, he said. Rebuilding Together Petaluma also will lend a hand with organizing volunteers, and the Kiwanis Club also will likely help with the efforts, Smith said.

“The river is a focal point,” said FitzGerald, a longtime river advocate. “This a great spot for people in town. … I expect this is going to be a very nice cleanup for everyone.”

Ongoing successes surrounding similar projects undertaken at G and H streets in 2011 by Rebuilding Together Petaluma and Foundry Wharf helped pave the way for the C Street project, Assistant City Manager Scott Brodhun said, adding that the project will be a plus for the city.

“It cleans up an unused right-of-way intended to be used as a viewpoint for many years, and it allows people to get closer to the river and view events, with a comfy place to rest for those walking downtown,” Brodhun said.

Volunteer groups, city staff and commissioners last month held a neighborhood meeting, gleaning positive feedback from surrounding property owners before seeking the city’s approval, according to Susan Starbird, a Petaluma Water Ways volunteer who presented project plans to the commission at its March 16 meeting.

Several tweaks were made to accommodate nearby property owners’ input, including designing benches that are “less attractive” for loitering or lying down, she said.

City officials also will look into the possibility of separate projects to add lighting in the area and a fence around a nearby city-owned pump station, Brodhun said. He said city staff will coordinate with volunteers for ongoing maintenance.

The work will likely be completed this fall, though a specific date has yet to be determined, Starbird said. She said project sponsors plan to approach the city’s Public Art Committee about the potential for an installation to further bolster the appeal of the location.

“We want to just make it easier for people to have wholesome outdoor recreation within a short walk of their homes,” Starbird said. “They can find these little spots and relax under a shade tree and have a picnic lunch in these informal little parks that really help the community come together around the river.”

Contact Hannah Beausang at hannah.beausang@arguscourier.com.