Jurupa Valley, CA – More than 350 community members celebrated the arrival of the autumnal season by attending the October 14th Fall Festival event held at the Louis Robidoux Parkland and Pecan Grove (LRPPG). This 40-acre property is owned by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District, but actively managed by five partners including Huerta del Valle, Inland Empire Resource Conservation District, Orange County Water District, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and Sunshine Haven Wildlife Rehab. The site has experienced several setbacks in recent years including temporary closure and loss of the site building from a Halloween 2019 fire; however, as this month’s festival demonstrated, LRPPG is on its way to once again serving as an open space preserve and educational space welcoming community members of all ages.
Among those present at the Festival were members of Stephanie Morales’ fifth grade class from Mission Bell Elementary school, there to celebrate their victory in the LRPPG bobcat naming contest. The contest was developed in response to the untimely death of a native bobcat that was struck by a vehicle earlier this year as it crossed one of the streets bordering the Parkland. Together with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and a local taxidermist, the LRPPG partners were able to collect and preserve the specimen in a taxidermy display. Now the bobcat will serve as an LRPPG mascot as partners continue to advance toward site uplift and programming goals. The realization that the bobcat needed a name resulted in facilitation of a district-wide contest where elementary school classes submitted recommended names through use of a range of media.
“Although we are saddened by the loss of this beautiful bobcat, we are honored to have the opportunity to use him for educational purposes,” said Crystal Valenzuela, Community Engagement Specialist for the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD), one of the five partners managing the LRPPG property. “We have been working hard to restore the property following the loss of many of the educational displays and the nature center building during the fire that took place on Halloween night in 2019. For us, this bobcat symbolizes the resilience of LRPPG and the residents of Jurupa Valley. It’s so encouraging that in just a few short years, the Parkland has gone from a charred husk to an outdoor space where humans and animals alike want to be. We’re excited to come up with more opportunities to get involved!”
Community members got involved in the contest by voting on the top three bobcat names submitted during LRPPG’s Fall Festival. The event, which advertised free Fall-themed fun for everyone, has plans to be held annually. Everything that the Festival had to offer was completely free of charge. Guests enjoyed complimentary food, giveaways, and activities. Children were able to get their faces painted, jump in the pumpkin-shaped jumper, and indulge in free snow cones and tacos. 135 pumpkins from local farmers were painted and taken home by attendees. Fifteen community organizations, including Rivers & Lands Conservancy and Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center, joined to show their support and provide resources for the community. Meanwhile, guests explored the property and competed in a digital scavenger hunt to win prizes, such as free tickets to Knott’s Scary Farm.
At the end of the Fall Festival, the votes were tallied, and the bobcat was given a new name: Terry. Mrs. Morales’s class couldn’t be happier about being selected as winners. “LRPPG provided my 5th graders with such an incredible and unique experience with the Bobcat Naming Contest,” said Morales. “My students' main focus has been on the way Terry must have lived his life: filled with adventure and bravery. He captured the hearts of all my students. Even after his passing, his life will always be remembered thanks to LRPPG.” More on the meaning behind the name and the Fall Festival can be found at www.louisrobidouxparkland.org or at their on-site kiosk.
There is no doubt that Terry has started the turn of a new leaf and renewed interest at LRPPG. Currently, the Parkland is offering monthly opportunities for community members to get involved via volunteering and workshops. During the last volunteer event, eleven participants planted 71 plants of over 25 different species as part of an expansion of LRPPG’s pollinator garden. On Saturday, November 4th, the Parkland is also hosting the California Native Plant Society’s annual plant sale. Starting at 9 AM, the public can pick up popular and easy-to-care-for plants, seeds, bulbs, books, and posters. Learn more and view this year’s selection at louisrobidouxparkland.org