Parks set for improvements

Paul Clinton

COSTA MESA -- The Orange County Board of Supervisors is set to approve

a slate of improvements to nearly 200 acres of parkland on the west edge

of the city.

More than eight acres of wetlands would be added to the existing

parkland in the plan.

The board is scheduled to consider the plan for Talbert Regional and

Fairview parks at its Tuesday meeting.

If approved, the board would begin to seek bids for the work.

The county is overseeing the project, although Fairview Park is a city

park. Talbert Regional Park is a county park. The project would connect

the dots of parkland in an area bordering the eastern bank of the Santa

Ana River. The land is sandwiched between the river and the Costa Mesa

bluffs.

“I think it’s a positive,” Councilman Gary Monahan said about the

idea. “It’s something that’s good for everybody. It’ll connect the parks

and make them more accessible for the communities.”

Under the plan, the county would install the wetland habitat, modify

the irrigation system, test the soil, plant vegetation and erect

interpretive signs.

At Fairview Park, which stretches for 91.7 acres, more than eight

acres of willow trees would be added. A bicycle trail would be created to

link the park with the Santa Ana River Trail.

At Talbert Regional Park, which stretches 88.5 acres, six acres would

be set aside for willow trees. A 3,000-square-foot interpretive center

with a 25-car parking lot would be built near the northern end of Balboa

Boulevard.

A 5-foot-wide nature trail also would be built of decomposed granite

and wood chips. The existing Victoria Pond would be expanded by six

acres.

The board will consider the project at its meeting at 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday. The meeting will be held at the board hearing room, 10 Civic

Center Plaza, Santa Ana.