Years of care and concern – and helping make the Valley View Park and River Access Trail a welcoming place for all – were recently highlighted, as volunteers with the Valley View Trail Watch program were feted by the City of Oakdale.

The dinner gathering was hosted for the volunteers, some accompanied by their spouses, at Round Table Pizza in Oakdale. Representing the city at the recognition dinner were City Manager Bryan Whitemyer and Assistant to the City Manager Patrick Mondragon.

It was a grassroots effort by many Burchell Hill residents to start the ‘watch’ program, as the Valley View Park and Trail brought people in to the neighborhood to enjoy the park and the walking path – or stairsteps – down the hill to the Stanislaus River below.

Putting forth the initial proposal for the volunteer group were Burchell Hill residents Mike Hancock and Lloyd Kjos; both were in attendance at the recognition dinner.

“The Valley View Trail Watch Program has been in place for six years, working to keep our beautiful trail clean and safe for everyone to use,” Hancock explained.

It was in October of 2018 that the idea first formed for the Valley View Trail Watch program; in early November of that year a group of Burchell Hill residents met to determine how best to implement a trail watch program. Among the organizations on hand to offer support and guidance, said Hancock, were the Oakdale Police Department, Stanislaus River Watch leaders, Fish and Wildlife officials and leaders with the City of Oakdale.

By mid-November of 2018, the Valley View Trail Watch was off and running, with 14 original volunteers registered.

There are specific requirements to be a volunteer, as well as duties that must be carried out when a volunteer has their watch duty. The duties include walking the entire Valley View trail during their volunteer time and looking for any type of litter on or near the trail, graffiti, bicycles or skateboards being used on the trails, any personal property left on the trails, and more.

The goal is to help maintain the trail so all in the community – as well as those from outside the area – can enjoy it when they have the opportunity to visit. The volunteers also stay in touch with police and city officials as needed to report issues or problems.

The latest ‘Volunteer Guide’ listing the requirements to be a volunteer and the responsibilities of being one was updated in March of this year; Hancock currently serves as the Watch Facilitator.

He shared some recollections of the formation of the group during the recognition dinner and also added his thanks to the many volunteers that have typically gone above and beyond to carry out their duties over the years.

In offering his thanks and appreciation to the watch volunteers, Whitemyer said they have a job that “never ends” as they are constantly working to ensure the park and trail are well maintained.

“It is, I think, a testament for our community, the pride that each and every one of you take in to the community and because of that, you’re able to keep it and maintain it,” Whitemyer said of the park and trail continuing to be a showpiece.

The history of the Valley View Park goes back years; it is located on a former dump site and Whitemyer said in trying to establish the park, the city received grant funding from one state agency but also found plenty of roadblocks at the state level.

“We basically had a state agency that gave us the money and then a state agency that said we couldn’t do it,” Whitemyer explained. “So, we had to fight through that.”

The city – before the final approval was granted for establishing the park – had to excavate and then cover the entire area with two feet of dirt, said Whitemyer, which raised the cost of the project. Additional state funds were awarded, however, and the park and trail eventually came to fruition.

“It has just become a spectacular project,” Whitemyer stressed to the volunteers. “One, it’s a heritage project which we want to continue on for generations to come and that is only possible because of the work that you do.”

He added that the city doesn’t have the resources to dedicate the staff time that would be required to maintain the park and trail, and that’s where the watch volunteers come in, providing an invaluable service.

“This is not enough to show our appreciation,” Whitemyer admitted of hosting the pizza party dinner, but thanked the volunteers for showing up so they could be recognized.

He also presented special 100-year City of Oakdale commemorative anniversary coins as a small token of the city’s appreciation.

“I just think it’s phenomenal; it’s one of the reasons I love Oakdale,” Whitemyer shared of the spirit of volunteerism. “We have a fabulous team at the City of Oakdale and, with you guys, we just want to grow together and do positive things.”

For information about how to get involved in being a Valley View Trail Watch volunteer, contact Mike Hancock at 209-324-0917.