Public gave input about future of park; more opportunities to share ideas to come
Community members and public officials from both Healdsburg and Sonoma County gathered at Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg this past week to discuss making the beloved beach area even more inviting for everyone, all year round.
The county announced, “Sonoma County Regional Parks is preparing a master plan to develop a vision for Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach.” The meeting was the first to be held to give the public the opportunity to “help guide the park’s redevelopment and natural resource management.”
The beach was built decades ago without a modern master plan and may be overdue for an environmental review. This happened because it was a county property before the general plan existed.
The presentation last week began with Fourth District Supervisor James Gore, who welcomed everyone and spoke passionately about his love for the river and his years of experience with both the Russian River and the Memorial Beach area. “When your foot touches the water, it changes you,” said Gore. He also spoke with those gathered about the importance of inclusion and accessibility.
Steve Ehret, Planning Manager with Sonoma County Regional Parks, spoke about the importance of the vision for the Veterans Memorial Beach and the master plan. Ehret pushed the project, he says, because he’s a deep believer in the magic of the river. He sees this as an opportunity to “reconnect the river with the public and have it be a showcase entrance of the city.”
Preliminary ideas presented by the county include “a dedicated launch for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, and easier portage around the beach’s summer dam.
Other possibilities include a wheelchair-accessible path to a lifeguarded swimming area, a “destination playground” and other family-oriented amenities, a renovated concession building and expanded picnic areas in quieter areas of the park.
During the meeting, community members present expressed interest in better river access, more expanded use of the upper part of the property, with nicer picnic areas, more shade trees or shade structures and more things for kids to do, like a water play feature and a natural play area.
Other ideas included a dog park, art (such as murals), a native plant garden and a splash pad.
A cyclist who rode to the event suggested that bike paths leading to and from the park would be helpful to encourage cycling.
One young man suggested that a wildlife corridor should be considered. There was interest in having more nature interpretation and more opportunities for walks around the side of the river, as well as having interpretive signage or features that help connect people to the river. There were thoughts about how to make the upland area more culturally connected.
Ehret explained that the park was heavily used “back in the day” because of the deep swimming area. “Today, because of fish rules, we can’t have that,” said Ehret. “The (summer) dam can’t go up till later, so the swimming season is shortened. This year the dam isn’t going up until late June because of the regulations.”
Healdsburg has a long history with the beach park and the swimming hole. Advertisements and photos from Healdsburg Tribune archives reveal families having fun, boating, kayaking, swimming and enjoying the river back through the years.
An advertisement from July of 1958 announced swim lessons at Memorial Beach. A June 2, 1955 photo announced that the swimming area was open. A June 11, 1948 newspaper quotes then-city engineer Waldo Iversen, “The temporary dam across the Russian River at Memorial Beach was started this week with the driving of pilings.”
The beloved swimming hole was present when the Memorial Bridge was created in the early 1920s.
Ehret said the question now is, “What do we do with the park the rest of the year? Most people think of it as a beach and not necessarily as a park or a portal to the whole river, even though that’s what it is. What types of activities could we do outside of the busy season between Memorial and Labor Day?”
Ehret said he grew up in Sonoma County and has a deep relationship with the river. “I’m one of the few people who can say they’ve paddled the entire Sonoma County section in one trip.” said Ehret. “I love to play on the river, swim in the river, paddle on the river, and I do that all over, on the Russian and other rivers. As Supervisor Gore was saying: Once you put your foot in the water, it changes you.”
For more information and to give input to the Veterans Memorial Beach Master Plan, go to http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Parks/Planning/Healdsburg-Veterans-Memorial-Beach-Visioning/.
