City Manager Says Canyon Park Should be Open This Year

Canyon Park should be open before the end of this year, with a contractor to do the work approved by March 19, according to City Manager Dylan Feik.

Feik added that over the last two years the city has been working to protect the park from mud and debris flows and designing roadway and parking lot improvements, utility upgrades for the water and sewer system, ranger station kiosk enhancements, educational and recreational spaces, and general repairs.

He said the park stood up well during the latest heavy storms, which were heavier than the December 2021 storms that caused all the damage. "The streams carried the water without obstructions as we've already removed the burned trees, boulders, etc. Culverts remain open and clear, and the native alder trees are thriving in the streambed where they were non-existent before the Bobcat Fire. In some areas, there are even alder groves where trees exceed 12' in height."

- Brad Haugaard