MISSION VIEJO : Conservation Corps to Work on Parks

City parks will get $50,000 in fire safety improvements and environmental planting, courtesy of the California Conservation Corps, city and corps officials said Thursday.

“This is great for us, since it will pay for some work we have already started at Wilderness Glen Park,” said Wayne A. Lowery, the city’s parks and recreation director. “It’s also working out well for the corps. It gives them an opportunity to help teach their people about the environment.”

Lowery, who said the corps notified him last week of its intention to donate the work to the city, added that the same project may pay for improvements at Oso Viejo Park.

The Wilderness Glen Park has already received help from the corps, but that work, valued at $10,000, was paid for by the city. The additional improvements will come out of the corps’ public service budget.

Walter Hughes, district director for the Pomona Service District, said the corps had chosen the project because it met all three criteria used to guide corps work: The project serves a public benefit, is related to conservation and provides valuable education for corps members, he said.