$9 Million for Restoration of Wilderness Park Gets OK : Preservation: The land includes parts of the rustic Cook and Dunsmuir canyons. It provides key access to nearby hiking and equestrian trails.

The Glendale City Council on Tuesday approved a $9-million Master Plan to restore historic buildings and preserve most of the rustic terrain at the 702-acre Deukmejian Wilderness Park at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Formerly called the Inter-Valley Ranch, the city-owned park was purchased for $5.2 million in 1989 as the largest remaining undeveloped parcel in Glendale. The land includes parts of the rustic Cook and Dunsmuir canyons and provides key access to federal and state wilderness trails.

Development will include renovation and conversion of an old barn into a learning and historic center, and construction for meeting rooms, an outdoor classroom, picnic area, trails, parking facilities and an equestrian center, said Nello Iacono, director of parks, recreation and community services.

Improvements will be made in stages over five to seven years, beginning as early as the middle of next year.

The city already has appropriated $1.1 million in development funds for initial phases of the project, and officials hope to receive another $2.2 million if a county parks and beaches bond issue is approved by voters in November. Iacono said other federal and state grants will be sought to complete improvements.

The proposal includes construction of a main access street at Markridge Road, just east of Boston Avenue. Current access is provided on a road to a Los Angeles County debris basin, Iacono said.

Residents fought for more than three decades to preserve the land, which had been proposed for subdivision. The property is south of Rim of the Valley Trail, which stretches from the Santa Monica Mountains through the San Gabriels and ties into a state and national trail system for hiking and horseback riding.

Iacono said dual trails will be developed to separate hikers from equestrians. Access to the canyons will be limited, he said, to protect the natural vegetation and wildlife.

The Circle J Ranch, a horse boarding operation that has been on the property for more than 20 years, will be allowed to remain, Iacono said. Bar stalls for up to 60 horses, riding and exercise arenas and other equestrian facilities will be relocated to an area north of the historic barn on the property.

The ranch is home to the Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team, a group of young riders who have competed nationally. Horse shows also are held, and facilities are available for trail rides.

The stone barn, built in 1911 and believed to be the oldest building in the La Crescenta Valley, will be restored as an interpretive and historic center commemorating the pioneering George Le Mesnager family.

Grape vineyards once graced the steep hillsides of the ranch. The fruit was harvested and stored in the barn for transport by wagon to Los Angeles, where it was used in the making of local wines.

Although many residents refer to the old barn as a winery, historical studies have found that the building was never used for commercial production of wine, Iacono said.

With its arched doorways and stone chimneys, the barn also served for a time as a residence for the Le Mesnager family, who lived on the property from 1914 to 1968, according to a city report. Restoration plans include converting an old outbuilding into a mini-museum of winemaking.

City officials said they will ask that the barn be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.