Morning walkers take advantage of the reopened south entrance of the popular Bull Creek trail at Lake Balboa. The trails west bank reopened to the public Thursday, Aug. 28. following a brief closure to allow work on the Bull Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project in the Sepulveda Basin. (Photo by Brooks Hubbard)

The trail had been closed since June while Corps contractor C.W. Crosser Construction, Inc., completed work on a temporary diversion channel and 12-inch water line that will supply Bull Creek with water from Lake Balboa.

“We put a little extra effort into this phase of the project to please the public’s request to open the trail before the Labor Day weekend,” said Paul Mundell, a superintendent with C.W. Crosser.

The reopening was observed by Corps project manager Edward Louie and Michael Tou, a Policy Deputy in U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman’s office.

As one of the leading supporters of environmental restoration and recreational development in the Sepulveda Basin, Rep. Sherman helped secure $4.9 million in federal funds toward construction of the Bull Creek project.

The trail immediately filled with happy morning walkers - some pushing baby strollers - and joggers. 

“This is awesome!  I can now walk all the way around the lake,” said one of several trail walkers.

Upon opening of the trail, construction crews relocated the fence along the trail.

“We are relocating the fence to the west side of the pedestrian trail to keep the pedestrians safe and out of the construction area,” Mundell stated.

When complete, the project will return nearly 28 acres to a more natural state, benefiting native plants, animals and migratory birds and providing greater education and recreation opportunities for the park’s many users.

Work in the creek should be finished by October 2008. Construction of an island and its features is scheduled for completion in summer 2009.

The island will provide additional nesting and foraging ground and will be accessible by footbridges that will also serve as nature viewing areas.