Recently, County Parks accepted four qualified potential candidates for the operation of Gibson Ranch in its entirety through a Request for Qualification (RFQ) process. These qualified candidates have been invited to submit a full proposal for the operation of Gibson Ranch; responses to this request for proposal are due September 3rd. It is anticipated that County Parks will bring a recommendation back to the Board of Supervisors later this fall, with a new operator re-opening Gibson Ranch in the beginning of 2011. County Parks will continue to provide basic maintenance after the closure of Gibson Ranch to ensure that the asset is maintained and protected, but the park will not be open to the public after September 5, 2010.
Unfortunately, County Parks was seriously affected by the County budget cuts, resulting in reductions to programs and service levels. These include the unfunding of the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, the lay-off of eight Park Rangers, the closure of Gibson Ranch after September 5, and considerable reductions in park maintenance and parks administration staff. Visitors throughout the entire Sacramento Regional Park system, including the American River Parkway, will notice significant reductions in maintenance and ranger patrol services.