NEWS RELEASE

The public is invited to join Sonoma County Regional Parks staff at the celebration of recent improvements to Ernie Smith Community Park in El Verano on Saturday, July 21.

The dedication ceremony will begin at 10am with speakers Lynn Morton-Weil from 1st District County Supervisor Valerie Brown's office and Regional Parks Director Mary Burns. Ernie Smith's son, Win, will also be a guest speaker.

After the brief ceremony, attendees may join park staff on a short walk along the new trail to the unveiling of the park sign. Afterwards, there will be refreshments, followed by free fun and games for dogs and their owners from 11am to 1pm in the new dog park.

The expansion/improvement project included the construction of a ½ acre dog park enclosed with a 4' high cyclone fence. The turf is irrigated and the dog park features a pet drinking fountain, picnic tables, garbage cans and clean up bags. In addition, the park itself was expanded to 12.42 acres. A pedestrian footbridge  installed over the existing creek connects to a new, paved multi-use trail that follows Park Tree Lane all the way to Railroad Avenue. Renovation of the existing group picnic site included installation of a new wheelchair-accessible pad and a drinking fountain. There were 137 trees and lawn planted, and a new bike rack was installed near the existing playground. The construction contract for improvements to Ernie Smith Community Park totaled $393,837 and was awarded to Hanford Applied Restoration and Conservation of Sonoma.

Ernie Smith Community Park is located at 18776 Gillman Drive in El Verano. For more information, contact Regional Parks at (707) 565-2041 or visit www.sonoma-county.org/parks.