By Shelby Danley
Original Modoc Chamber building will be redone and reopened
The Veterans Memorial and Dorris Park renovations, made possible through the Clean California Local Grant Program awarded in 2022, have been eagerly anticipated by most, if not all, members of the community. According to Bert Austin, Deputy Road Commissioner-Operations with the County Road Department, “the goal is to have the park completely open for public use by mid-September, with the potential of opening parts of the park sooner, such as the playground, if possible”. The original goal was to have the park open for Fandango Days this year, but construction almost always brings unplanned surprises, like weather setbacks and supply delays, which prevented the project from progressing as originally planned. However, with all the improvements and new areas being introduced, it should be well worth the wait!
The Veterans Memorial side of the park will boast the huge new play structures currently visible by all those passing by, including a handicap-accessible path, allowing more children access to enjoy the 6-foot-wide slide. There is also a second large slide and climbing area combo, swing set, basket swing and an auditory play station, all community requested elements. The final piece of playground equipment was installed last week and the next steps will be finalizing the safety measures for all the equipment, such as installing 12 inches of wood fiber chips all throughout the playground and the new exercise areas.
The Veterans Memorial side of the project will also include the newly built year-round accessible bathrooms, new lighting bollards installed along the center path and a facelift for the large awning picnic cover area to match the courthouse copper roof. The Modoc Chamber of Commerce Building will also be renovated and reopened. Having received no bids for the Chamber Building project, the County will handle the renovation in-house. The original stone inside will be preserved and displayed in a special “exhibit room” to showcase the craftsmanship of the building, as it is original to the site and ties the building to the N-C-O Railroad administration building (B.P.O.E.) and The Whistle Stop (The Garden Club) sites.
For the Dorris Park side of the project, there will be a large outdoor amphitheater that will set the Museum Train as the backdrop for any events being held at this site. The new train cover, requested by the Modoc Historical Society, will allow for the historic locomotive to be protected from the elements and give locals and travelers alike the ability to approach and appreciate it, as intended. The amphitheater will be a “bring your own blanket or chair” setup, which will allow for multiple functions to be held there as the set up will be free flowing. When looking at options for seating in this space, the County had to keep in mind the reality of maintenance in our climate. In doing so, they chose to go the grassy knoll route, which means the sides and back of the hill will double as a sledding hill for more fun in the winter! There will also be a brand-new exercise area for everyone’s use, a new basketball/pickleball court combination and a decomposed granite walkway going all the way around the site, allowing the space to be enjoyed by all.
As if those improvements weren’t enough, the Modoc County Museum parking lot is getting a refresh! The new parking lot will be a drive-through loop, connecting both the museum and train to the Veterans Memorial side behind the Chamber of Commerce building across County Road 56. This will give those driving through access to the parks, bathrooms, museum and train viewing, with directional parking spaces for those staying to visit too. Finally, there is going to be historical informational signage installed throughout the parks and over 120 trees will be planted with new landscaping; replacing what was brought down to begin construction and tie in more of the area’s natural landscape. Junipers will be included, for example, as a nod to the local Native American Kosealekte band of the Pit River Tribe, as Alturas is their actual ancestral homeland.
According to the County, there are a few other big pieces to be moved to put final touches in. Incredibly enough, that includes the repurposing of the original bathroom building located on the site! The Likely community members and Modoc County Administration have worked together to coordinate the building being moved to Likely, CA. This will fill a need, and the building will be a part of the new community area being built near the fire hall and Likely church that was recently repositioned. Once that is moved, the rest of the underground work can be completed, like plumbing and electrical for the new bathrooms.
While the repaving of Water, South East and Riverside Streets were not officially a part of the grant project, both Modoc County and City of Alturas leadership worked together to get it done. They felt that this way, the entirety of the area would be complete, and it would make the park more easily accessible for everyone’s enjoyment. Receiving a grant like this one is a huge deal here in Alturas, it allows for large growth and visible improvements. The Clean California Grant, written by Lilly Toaetolu, Deputy Road Commissioner Administration, was a competitive grant focusing on beautification, rehabilitation, and litter abatement efforts in public places. It was to be allocated to the park that is in the most densely populated area of Modoc County, which would be the Veterans Memorial and Dorris Park. Lilly also stated that “having local contractors working on this project has been a huge asset. They know our community first-hand, they know the importance of the project and are in close proximity if ever needed”.
This has been a massive undertaking for everyone involved, and while there have been some setbacks, it will bring more beauty and functionality to the community! With plenty of places for kids to play, areas to sit in the shade and read a good book, or even spaces to get your workout done under the sun and the trees, it will be a true breath of fresh air having a space to enjoy and relax in. The County has expressed that the community’s patience and support throughout this process have been invaluable, and they look forward to seeing everyone enjoying the new and improved park very soon.
