Officials to dedicate greenway staging area first day of summer

Ramona and regional officials will dedicate the staging area for the Santa Maria Creek Greenway on Saturday at 10 a.m.

The dedication will be at the San Diego County Parks & Recreation monument next to the Arriba Teen Center at 1710 Montecito Road.

Ramona Trails Association’s John Degenfelder, who organized the event, said invitations have gone to San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Ramona Community Planning Group, representatives of the sheriff’s Ramona station and volunteer mounted patrol, Ramona Chamber of Commerce, Ramona Unified School District Board and San Vicente Saddle Club.

Also invited are representatives of Ramona Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3783, Ramona Village Design Group and Ramona Real Estate Association.

The public is welcome.

“This addition to Ramona’s non-motorized trail community is thanks to funding from county Supervisor Dianne Jacob — by way of the Ramona Community Foundation,” Degenfelder said in his invitation email. “Ramona Trails Association needs to celebrate!”

Cookies, ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery and lemonade will be served.

The staging area features a large parking area, shaded picnic table and kiosk, noted Degenfelder. It is between the teen center and Santa Maria Creek, which serves as living quarters for some of Ramona’s homeless.

The greenway, included in the Ramona Village Design plan, is proposed to go from Ramona Community Center to Ramona Grasslands, said Degenfelder.

—Maureen Robertson