The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors allocated nearly $1 million in funding today that will benefit two projects underway on Catalina Island.
The first project allocates $415,000 in Cities Excess Funds to the City of Avalon to continue the restoration of Joe Machado Field, a community park that was damaged by mudslides and flooding following a wildfire on Catalina Island in May 2007. The total cost of the restoration is estimated at $1.4 million and will be completed in four separate phases. The first phase, removal of debris and demotion of the damaged areas of the park, is currently underway.
In exchange for the $415,000 allocation, the City of Avalon will return an earlier grant for the exact same amount of money that had been previously given to the City. In June 2005, the County committed $415,000 to Avalon from the 1996 Safe Neighborhood Parks Proposition fund. That initial grant was to be used for the construction of a community center, but the project was postponed due to lack of additional funding. Because of the community center postponement, the City of Avalon will return the initial $415,000 grant to the County in exchange for today’s new grant for the same amount of money. The funds from the new grant can then be applied to the restoration of Joe Machado Field.
The second project allocates $500,000 from Fourth District Capital Project funds at the request of Supervisor Knabe to help the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy complete road improvements across portions of Catalina Island. The money will be used for making all-weather improvements to roads that are currently unsealed and dirt roads.