Del Valle Regional Park will see an additional $5 million of funding in the recently approved state budget, after a bipartisan push by local elected officials.
The park in Livermore includes the five-mile-long Lake Del Valle reservoir, along with more than 4,000 acres of parkland. The funding will go to the East Bay Regional Park District, to direct toward Del Valle, which officials say is in dire need of infrastructure repairs, especially considering the park’s high rate of visitors.
“Del Valle is one of three State Parks that the East Bay Regional Park District manages with no funding from the state for operations, maintenance, or infrastructure repairs,” said Robert Doyle, general manager of EBRPD. “This investment will help upgrade key infrastructure and visitor facilities at Del Valle.”
The $5 million comes in the form of a state grant to EBRPD, purposed toward Del Valle at the request of Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-San Ramon) and State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda), according to officials from Glazer’s office.
Doyle said that the park district is currently looking to direct about $1 million of the funding toward a new visitor center, converting a concessionaire building into an environmental education center. The rest will go toward renovating the park’s 50-year-old water infrastructure, from the pipes to the filtration system.
This won’t completely cover the entire scope of repairs, which could cost as much as $6 million, but it will certainly make a dent, Doyle said.
Del Valle is used primarily for public recreation, flood control and water supply, with visitors coming to the park to hike, swim and camp. This June saw over 100,000 visitors, according to officials from Baker’s office.
Aging pipes for water distribution and sewage treatment have resulted in wasted water — the lack of renovations have led to about 300,000 to 600,000 gallons of wasted water every year because of line breaks or leaks, according to Baker’s office.
“Del Valle Regional Park has been a wonderful family recreation spot in our community for decades,” Baker said. “The park desperately needs to improve its infrastructure, and this funding is a great start for those projects. I am proud to have secured this funding for Del Valle through bipartisan work. Our open spaces need our continued support to preserve them for future generations.”
Glazer, who worked with Assemblywoman Baker to secure this funding, credited his Tri-Valley colleague across the aisle for the action coming to pass.
“Her work to bridge the partisan divide in the State Capitol builds important alliances that have resulted in open space, water, transportation and BART parking improvements in our shared districts,” Glazer said. “I join with our many friends from the environmental community and outdoor enthusiasts from Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon and Livermore in saying a big thank you to Catharine Baker.”
