Community members gathered on Tuesday morning for the groundbreaking ceremony and launch of “The Rotary Pavilion” construction project at the Woodland Regional Park Preserve.

The Woodland Sunrise Rotary Club was honored during the ceremony as one of the lead partners for the WRPP project since 2019, as were all the other Rotary Clubs of Yolo County that have contributed funds and conducted community fundraising.

“I’m mainly here to thank the community for all of the support on this project,” Tom Wendt of the Rotary Club said during the ceremony. “To me, it’s so touching that it’s a community-wide thing.”

The pavilion project will be a covered observation deck that will overlook the pond at the 160-acre preserve located at the site of the retired landfill, east of County Road 102 and south of County Road 25. The deck is set to hold up to a maximum of 47 individuals with ADA access for wildlife viewing, educational activities, wellness activities, and much more.

Special recognition was also given to Shellhammer Construction, architect Duane Thomson, who designed the deck; Allweather Wood, who donated 100% of the lumber; and Berry Lumber, who donated 100% of the hardware needed.

Recognition was also given to community members who have donated to the project, such as Tom and Evelin Wendt, Wayne and Mary Ginsburg, Tom and Meg Stallard, John and Eunice Davidson Fund, John Roncoroni and Sharon Lynch, Dignity Health, Lynn Jepson, John Martin, Larry and Beverly Greene, the city of Woodland, Clark Pacific, Lars W.J. Anderson, Brad & Margo Miller, Tuleyome, Carol Souza Cole and Glenn Cole, the Pioneer High School Interact Club, Kevin and Lori Haarberg, Rich and Joy Sakai, Jim and Alice Gillette, Jim and Val Hilliard, David Wilkinson, Burgos-Nguyen Family, Susan and Mike Skocko, Ken and Jessica Hiatt, Mojos Lounge & Kitchen428 Restaurant and Maria Perea Marcus.

Thomson shared during the ceremony that he had three things in mind for the deck as he was designing it: basic depth for the structure, shade sails, and a solid roof.

“All of these can be done with the basic deck that we’re building here so that when we want to come back and add a solid work in the future, it’s already structured for it and with little or no modifications,” Thomson said. “Then aesthetics, when I designed the structure, I came out here actually, the shade sails provided to me a vision of white seagull wings, and I thought the structure should emulate that, and the shade sails could do by overlapping in different angles to provide that sort of feeling.”

Stephanie Burgos, Business Engagement & Resource Conservation director for the city of Woodland, highlighted how all of the Rotary clubs have been a big asset to this project.

“We’re so thankful about the community investment. The Yolo County Rotary clubs have been an absolute asset to this,” Burgos said. “It would have been inexistent if it wasn’t for them, and then just seeing all of our individual community members donate their time and money to this project has been really fun. It’s going to be a lasting community amenity for years to come. Every time that someone comes out to the regional park and accesses it, it’s going to be a reminder of all the investment that everyone has poured into this.”

Burgos mentioned that there is currently around a $10,000 funding gap that would allow the Rotary Club to finance the shade sails.

“It’s an understatement, I think, to say that we’re really excited to see that we were actually able to move forward with the groundbreaking and then have everyone here today,” Burgos said. “So this is monumental. A huge milestone.”

Construction for the project will begin this spring, and the park preserve is set to have its grand opening on Saturday, May 17.