Politics & Government
A New Portion of Acalanes Ridge is Now Open to the Public
There is a dedication ceremony Saturday.
A dedication ceremony will take place Saturday to celebrate the opening of a new trail and 23 acres of open space on Acalanes Ridge.
Last year, Walnut Creek joined with Lafayette, the East Bay Regional Parks District, and the Muir Heritage Land Trust to buy 22.6 acres of prominent hilltop land east of Acalanes High School and adjacent to Walnut Creek’s 170-acre Acalanes Open Space.
The land, which runs along the East Bay regional parks Briones-to-Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, formerly belonged to the Haji family. Acquiring this land brings to the public one of the most visible hilltops in all of central Contra Costa County—one that is visible from a dozen different cities, and all the way from the Carquinez Straits to the summit of Mount Diablo. The land will also provide a valuable corridor for people and widelife along this key ridgeline.
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The Muir Heritage Land Trust purchased the property for $1.3 million, with Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and the East Bay parks district contributing $400,000 to help buy the land and preserve the ridge.
Two weeks ago, members of an organization called Volunteers for Outdoor California spent the weekend building the trail to the top of the ridge.
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The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday on the ridge. Speakers will include Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva; Lafayette Mayor Carl Anduri; Contra Costa Supervisor Gayle Uilkema; state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord; and Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley.
A docent-led tour will take place after the dedication.
To get to the ridge, park in Walnut Creek at Larkey Lane and Second Avenue, then walk to the dedication. Attendees should sign up in advance by emailing gunther@muirheritagelandtrust.org or calling 925-228-5460.
