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Tahoe Vista Rec Area to launch Saturday

Alanna Lungren
Sierra Sun

After 10 years of planning and redesign, and two years of active construction, the Tahoe Vista Recreation Area and Boat Launch facility at Highway 28 and National Avenue will open on Saturday.

The $6 million site funded through grants from the California Tahoe Conservancy, California Department of Boating and Waterways and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and through property trades with Placer County is completely owned by the North Tahoe Public Utility District. The facility complements the district’s other recreation area, North Tahoe Regional Park, one mile away.

“We appreciate the community’s patience,” said Steve Rogers, general manager of the North Tahoe Public Utility District. “Ultimately, we’ve come up with a project the community can be quite proud of.”



The district was forced to go through redesigns when the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in 2003 mandated changes in the district’s original plan that had slated more parking spaces on site. With the changes, the district will direct users to the temporary parking area next to the Firelite Lodge and along surface streets, until the formal parking lot can be built.

The current site of the recreation area many years ago was a motel with marina. The boat launch by itself has been there for several years, Rogers said. However, with this project the utility district wanted to refocus the land for multi-use.



The site has limited parking, and a parking lot across Highway 28 off of National Avenue is in the fundraising stages. What is offered at the revamped location is a launching and traffic flow design to enable cars with trailers to pull in with ease and line up to launch their craft, which Rogers said will be limited mostly to non-motorized boats and conditional on lake level.

Using best management practices, the site is surrounded by natural vegetation restoration areas with a promenade that stretches out to a vista on the lake. Lead project contractors Tisleau Engineering and Cruz Excavating also incorporated best management practices with several drainage areas along the facility.

“The whole thing is a BMP,” Rogers said of the site that already housed the district’s pump station and water treatment structure.

Concessionaires at the facility will offer kayak rentals and the Euro Bungy ride. The rec area is recognized by the district as one stop along the Kayaking Trail of Lake Tahoe. Additionally, restrooms and showers to rinse off will be available, as well as a picnic and plaza area for the public and community events.


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