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Friends of Santa Teresa Park
Santa Teresa Park
Santa Clara County Parks
Park Pictures
Santa Teresa Park Wildflowers, Spring 2002
Mine, Fortini, Stile Ranch Wildflowers, 4/11/08
Coyote Peak, Rocky Ridge Wildflowers, Feb-Apr. '08
Coyote Ridge Wildflowers, 4/13/08
Almaden Quicksilver Wildflowers and Views, Spring 2008, Part 2
Bernal Hill wildflowers and views, Feb-Apr. '08 Part 1, Part 2
Coyote Peak, Rocky Ridge, Feb-April '08
Mother's Day Walk, Fortini-Stile, 5/4/08
Outdoor Photography Class/Wildflower Walk, Bernal Ranch/Hill 4/4/09
Geocaching Class, Fortini-Mine-Stile Ranch Trail, 4/11/09
Pre-Mother's Day Walk, Fortini-Mine-Stile Ranch Trail, 5/3/09
Santa Teresa Park
Mounted Ranger Unit Farewell Event
June 29, 2009
HDR picture of the Mounted Ranger Unit's horse training arenas.
On June 29, 2009, the Friends of
Santa Teresa Park, in partnership with the Santa Clara County Parks and
Rec. Dept. held a farewell ceremony for the Mounted Ranger Unit. The
Mounted Ranger Unit moved into the former Buck Norred Ranch Site in
2002. Prior to that, the site had been unused after Buck Norred sold
his ranch and moved out. Being unoccupied, the ranch became the
target of vandals and was being used as a hangout for illegal
activity. The community urged the County Parks, which acquired the
land, to put a ranger facility there to stop this activity. They
built the stables and storage building for the Mounted Ranger Unit. A
space was provided for a camp host to live on the site to provide
24-hour coverage. After the site was occupied, vandalism and illegal
activity stopped. The Mounted Rangers patrolled the County Parks and
served as goodwill ambassadors at events, such New Almaden Community
Day, Festival in the Park, and Fandango. They even appeared in
President Obama's inauguration. However, in 2009, facing a smaller
budget, the County Parks Dept. had to dissolve the unit. The rangers
were reassigned, and the horses will be sold. The facility will not be
adandoned. The Park Maintenance Special Projects Crew will be
moving in, and the camp host will remain. The crew works on projects in
all the County Parks, such as building bridges. To honor the Mounted
Rangers and to welcome the Special Projects Crew, the Friends of Santa
Teresa Park organized the farewell event at the Buck Norred Ranch site.
Park staff and the community were invited. The County Parks provided
the BBQ and meat. Here are pictures from that event:
Mike & Dorene Boulland and
Kitty Monahan setting up the booths. The tables were provided by the
New Almaden Community Club. The shades were provided by the Community
Club and the County Parks Outdoor Recreation Program.
Treats for the horses, mementos for the rangers from FOSTP.
Mike starting lighting up the coals in the BBQ, which was provided by the County Parks.
Kitty Monahan, Dot Wilson, Dorene
Boulland with ranger Julie Cooper at the drink and snack table. FOSTP
provided the drinks, salad, snacks, side dishes, and cake.
Ron Horii with Mike and Dorene.
Kitty patting CD in the stables. There were 3 other horses in the stables: Cody, Cowboy, and Maverick.
Mario Blaum by Cowboy's stall.
Maverick peeking out.
The camp hosts looking at Mike's pictures of the Norred Ranch.
Rangers Julie Cooper and Bridgett Hagel.
Parks Operations Manager Matt Anderson (left) at the sign-in tables.
Holly Davis bringing chili.
Park Ranger Supervisor Eric Goodrich and his daughter Heidi cooking the hamburgers and hot dogs.
Sr. Ranger and former Mounted Ranger Aniko Millan and her kids (right).
FOSTP member Sam Drake (left) brought drinks.
Park interpreter John Slenter, Parks Director Lisa Killough, and Maintenance Supervisor John Patterson arrive.
Heidi Goodrich serves up the hamburgers, with Matt Anderson watching.
Park maintenance staffers arrive.
The Vincze family arrives.
Jenel and Paul Vincze
Maintenance Project Crew Chief Rob Robinson, Ranger Julie with her daughter.
Mike Boulland kicks off the formal presentations.
County Parks Director Lisa Killough talks about the Mounted Ranger Unit.
Pictures of the Mounted Rangers and their horses, put together by Julie Cooper, were given to the rangers.
Matt Anderson talks to the crowd.
Kitty hands the mementos to Mike to give to the rangers.
Mike presents the mementos.
Kitty with the treats for the horses.
Mike presents a picture taken by Ron Horii (shown at the top of this page) of the Mounted Ranger Unit's horse training arenas to the rangers as a memento.
Carrot cake.
The horses' trainer.
Giving treats to Maverick.
Maintenance Craft Worker Cory Johnson will be stationed at the site soon.
Page created by Ron Horii,
5/10/09