Downtown Calipatria, California
Wedoany.com Report-Feb 12, The Imperial County Board of Supervisors has announced a plan to submit an application for funding for a proposed geothermal-themed outdoor park in the city of Calipatria to the California Energy Commissions‘ Geothermal Grant and Loan Program.
The proposal was presented at the board meeting by Deputy County Executive Officer of Natural Resources Bari Bean. The drawings shown during the presentation showed a colorful and interactive park with a shaded play area and education features showing geology, geothermal, and lithium technology topics.
“As you can see from the visuals on the screen, this is a vibrant, one-of-a-kind initiative that we’ve created here at the county. It’s truly an opportunity for our residents and visitors alike to take a journey to the core of the earth,” said Bean.
The geothermal-themed project is planned as an extension of the ongoing Community Part Initiative in Calipatria, which is already being partially funded by the California Department of Parks. Upon completion, the park will move under the ownership of the city of Calipatria.
Bean further explained that the funding application for the geothermal part falls under Category K of the funding program which supports “enhancement, restoration, or preservation of natural resources.” The loan is designed to support communities that have geothermal by funding projects in the areas of socioeconomic impact, public service infrastructure, and lithium initiatives.
A demand for geothermal training
Reception to the proposal for a geothermal-themed park has been mixed, with critics stating that the funding can be better spent on other things.
William Cooper, Executive Director of The Becoming Project in California, stated that community members are not asking for “a monument to geothermal in Calipatria.” Instead, people are asking for some actual training in the field of geothermal. “Things like these are just going to give the community more information about geothermal. The community of Calipatria has information about geothermal. It’s been there for 40 years.”
However, the initiative has received a healthy amount of support from local legislators and industry partners including Imperial Irrigation District, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the North End Alliance, and Geothermal Rising.
Supervisor Ryan Kelley responded to the criticism, stating that the funding’s requirements meant that it can only be applied to specific types of geothermal-related projects. Other community needs, such as those for infrastructure, are outside of the scope of the funding program.
