TRUCKEE, Calif. – Concerns have been raised by residents residing on Riverside Dr., the street where West River Street converges, in anticipation of the town council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 23. “I think the neighbors have very important fears which were glossed over and brushed aside,” one West River Street resident said. In the meeting tomorrow, Council members will determine whether to proceed with advertising the West River Street Park Project for construction bids, aiming to start construction in summer 2024.

The West River Street Park, located at the former Nevada County Corp Yard (10257 West River Street), is envisioned to be a downtown Truckee riverfront restoration project. The park will feature riparian restoration, pathways, plazas, landscaping using native plants, as well as benches and picnic tables. 

“The Town believes that the property can be redeveloped in a way that will not create spillover impacts to the neighborhood through good design and provision of adequate parking to serve the future land uses on the property,” Dan Wilkins, Director of Public Works and Engineering for the Town of Truckee, said. 

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On Monday, Jan. 8, a community meeting took place to discuss the West River Street Park. However, as several community members noted, questions remained unanswered, and concerns were left unaddressed. One community member posed the question, “Why hasn’t anyone asked us what we’d like to see at the end of our street?” Residents on Riverside Dr. are apprehensive about potential consequences such as traffic, congestion, noise, and safety, which are significant concerns for the majority. Another worry is the potential introduction of a bar at the end of Riverside Drive, leading to the possibility of increased commercial traffic. Wilkins, however, stated that traffic impacts would be insignificant.

Rolf Godon, a community member residing on Riverside Dr. since 1986, supports the park idea but emphasizes the importance of executing it well. He also believes community members should have been consulted earlier. “Community members weren’t consulted until they made noise,” Godon said. 

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The West River Street Project aims to construct a terrace in the park to prevent direct access to the river, mitigating erosion on the river bank. However, since this removes 30% of the flatland, Godon believes that without the terrace, more amenities could be possible.

According to Wilkins, the terrace will offer several benefits, including easier snow removal, enabling winter access to the river corridor for individuals of all physical abilities. “There would be no loss of park space with the current project design as the Old County Corp. Yard property currently sits as a vacant undeveloped lot, and the ability to access the river from this property is severely constrained by topography, fencing, and other physical features on the existing property,” Wilkins continues. “The design would meet all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) design standards and provide the only publicly available ADA access point to the Truckee River corridor in the Downtown Truckee Area.”   

Godon also voiced concerns about potential environmental consequences arising from the removal of toxic soil from the park area. During the community meeting, Wilkins mentioned the necessity of transporting up to 200 dump truck loads of material to Wheatland, Calif., approximately 100 miles away. Given the abundance of river access in the vicinity, Godon questions whether constructing a path is worth the environmental damage.

Numerous community members have raised questions about the Truckee Springs Property and its integration with the West River Street Project. According to Wilkins, the Truckee Springs Property will be preserved as passive open space, featuring over 20 acres of undeveloped land for legal public access to the river corridor through a trail situated several hundred feet away from the river. This passive open space will not undergo active development or be designed for ADA access to the immediate river vicinity, and it won’t facilitate winter access for individuals with physical limitations. Instead, the Truckee Springs Property aims to offer a natural river access experience for able-bodied individuals.

To provide year-round access to the river corridor for individuals of all physical abilities, the West River Street Park Project involves the transformation of the Old County Corporation Yard Property into a park. This decision is grounded in the aim of offering inclusive recreational options and accessibility. And many residents of the community think that the park presents a fantastic opportunity to integrate historical and cultural information about the previous inhabitants and events.