Arroyo Verde Park, hit hard by the Thomas Fire, reopens in Ventura

Just in time for the holiday weekend, Arroyo Verde Park in Ventura has reopened. The popular park has been closed since Dec. 4, when it was heavily damaged during the Thomas Fire. 

Not all of the park has reopened. The playground is off limits as is the interpretive center that offers information on nature and wildlife, and there’s no water or electricity. But many of the trails are open and there are restrooms. 

“The reopening of the park is a significant milestone in the city’s recovery efforts, and we look forward to restoring the remaining portions of the park over time,” city Parks Manager Tom Martin said in a news release announcing the opening.

Read more:At Ventura’s Arroyo Verde Park, eagles soar from drought-stricken redwoods

Arroyo Verde is at Foothill and Day roads, an area hit hard by the fire. A house right across the street from the park burned down, as did several others nearby.

City workers and contractors removed debris, trees, repaired trails and took several measures to help mitigate problems related to future rain. Volunteers with Boy Scout Troop 111 in Ventura and the nonprofit Ventura Land Trust helped clear the trails of rocks, sticks and trash, the release notes. 

Visitors need to stay off the burned areas and look for “Stay Out” signs. Per usual park policy, dogs need to be on a leash while on the trails. From 6-9 a.m. every day, dogs are allowed off leash in the park. 

Hiking in Arroyo Verde? Here’s a trail guide

Recently, the city’s longtime contractor West Coast Arborists took out several dead trees. John Mahoney, one of the company’s owners and a self-taught chainsaw artist, turned some of them into eagles. Although the trunks were scorched, the carved birds are intact, city officials said.

The city hopes to open the entire park soon and is working to restore water, electricity and other amenities, the release notes. The full release is available at http://bit.ly/2FbhljS.