Posted by David Smernoff, a resident of another community, on Nov 15, 2006 at 7:13 pm

Acterra has been supporting the City with donated labor and salvaged materials over the last few years. We were asked to complete some door and window trim and battens to finish the exterior of the buildings. We worked last weekend to complete those tasks. It is anticipated that the buildings will be completed and opened some time in the next few months. They will make a fabulous addition to the lovely Pearson-Arastradero Preserve!

Posted by Anne H., a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 18, 2006 at 1:50 pm

I was curious also - and spoke with a ranger earlier this week. All the earth moving going on the land across Arastradero from the parking lot is focused on what will be a riparian habitat bordering a seasonal stream bed that had been buried in a concrete culvert for years. (Thursday afternoon, driving in from Alpine Rd, I could see a bright neon pink line that I assume ran along the center line of the now exposed bed.) Tree trunks will be used to stabilize the banks - willow trees and other riparian plants will established at some point.

It looks as if the stream, when flowing, joins up with the stream coming down from the lake, passing under the bridge on the footpath at the entrance of the Preserve.

The old house pad at the left rear of the exposed area (looking from the parking lot) will become a small picnic area. The bare areas will be mulched this winter and ultimately be planted in native grasses. (The grass seed and grass hay for future mulching are already in storage at Foothills Park.)

According to the ranger, there are still a few more items to be finished on the buildings and they have to make sure that the pathways are wheelchair, ADA compliant - with the estimate that the buidlings will be open by the end of the year. (And, having watched the buildings languish in an almost finished state for so long, I couldn't resist confirming that he really did mean this year.)