In case you missed this in last Thursday's Mercury News, the 2,800-acre Santa Cruz Mountains getaway southwest of Cupertino became the 31st park officially saved from the list of 70 parks.
The article quotes Ruth Coleman, the head of California's Department of Parks & Recreation, saying "We are over 30 now. I would expect we can get to 50. My fantasy is to get to 60."
What did it take? $100,000 from Save the Redwoods League; the Peninsula Open Space Trust; and the Portola & Castle Rock Foundation.
Of that, $60,000 will pay for operations, making up the shortfall between the $350,000 annual park budget and the money that would have been lost in entrance fees, camping fees and other revenue had the park closed. Another $40,000 will go to an "enhancement fund" to pay for projects that could bring new money to the park, such as building a new outdoor shelter for weddings and other events, or rehabbing several old cabins that could be rented to campers.
These elements are common to many of the "rescue" deals, as is the stipulation that all the money Portola Redwoods generates over the next year will stay in the park, rather than go to Sacramento.
Next year? That's right. This deal takes the park through one more fiscal year.