Yesterday the National Park Service announced new plans for the federal stimulus money that Pinnacles National Monument is slated to receive. Approved in 2009, funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would be put towards building two new trails. However, the funds have been reassigned to other needs within the park.
The new plans for the stimulus money include demolishing and relocating the visitor’s facilities on the western side of the park, as well as replacing two trailers and tent cabin. Though these plans do not seem as exciting as new trails, officials were finding it difficult to develop a timeline that would complete the building of new trails in the timely fashion required by the Recovery Act. However, these improvements to Pinnacles National Monument have been on the list of necessary repair and removal for quite some time. Officials have wanted to trash the facilities since the 1990s–located on a floodplain, they are prone to flooding and have been damaged multiple times.
The west side of the park sees only 30% of the park’s visitors, however, it’s important for them to have access to facilities as well. The plans for the new buildings (which will be located above the floodplain) involve ‘greener’ building and will have solar roof panels to allow the buildings to function ‘off the grid.’ Additionally, the reassignment to improving this area in the park will allow officials to comply with the required 18 month-limit for project completion.
Pinnacles National Monument is slated to receive somewhere between $9 and $13 million to complete these projects. And for those still holding out for new trails to be built, Park officials have said that plans for new trails are still in the works, but will be completed using alternative funding.
