Canyon Park set to reopen June 27 after Bobcat Fire repairs; two-day ribbon-cutting planned

Monrovia — Canyon Park will reopen to the public on Friday, June 27 at 8 a.m., the Monrovia City Council was told June 17, after five years of repairs and trail work following the Bobcat Fire and subsequent mud and debris flows.

City staff said they will hold a small, invite-only dignitary event on Thursday, June 26 at 10 a.m., followed by a public ribbon-cutting and full opening on Friday morning. Staff asked residents to walk, bike or carpool because parking is limited and said parking fees will be waived for the first few weeks as the park returns to operation.

The reopening follows a multi-year restoration effort. Community Services staff described improvements the public will see, including expanded parking (an increase from 87 to 111 spaces using previously unearthed areas, not new paving), renovated restrooms, new picnic and creekside meditation platforms, an enclosed climate-controlled welcome kiosk, an educational amphitheater, new information kiosks and barbecues, upgraded facility water connections and sewer tie-in (removing septic), and stormwater construction work intended to reduce future flood risk.

Staff said a greenhouse on site is growing more than 40 oak seedlings sourced from the park to support future restoration, and the nature center renovation is nearly complete. New ADA access improvements have been added at the cabin and other areas. The city will pause private event rentals during the first weeks so the general public can regain access while staff stabilizes operations.

Trail access and reservations City staff said the park will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for general trail use. To manage weekend demand, the city will use a reservation system for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays with three time blocks (6–10 a.m., 10 a.m.–2 p.m., 2–6 p.m.) and 150 spots per block (about 450 people per day). Weekday visits will not require reservations. Annual pass holders whose passes were suspended during closures will be honored through June 30, 2026.

Public outreach and operations Staff said they are planning park greeters and a small distribution of commemorative items for early visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. They also requested council participation at the public opening. The city credited contractors, volunteers and a local trail crew, plus partner organizations, for the restoration work.

Speakers and context Tina Cherry, Community Services Director, presented the update and described operational details, thanked contractor partners and volunteers, and recommended a careful reopening to protect restored habitat and infrastructure.

Ending City staff will open Canyon Park to the public on June 27 at 8 a.m., hold the invite-only program on June 26, and manage visitor access through a combination of free weekday access and weekend reservations while parking and operations normalize.