MOUNT DIABLO, CA – The California Wildlife Conservation Board last week awarded the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association a $2.6 million grant to build the Mitchell Canyon Education Center in Mount Diablo State Park.
“On behalf of MDIA, I want to express how excited we are,” said Steve Smith, president of the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. “We are immensely grateful to the Wildlife Conservation Board for this grant and to all the donors and community organizations who believed in the value of this project and generously provided the initial funding for it.”
MDIA, an all-volunteer organization and official support organization of Mount Diablo State Park, has worked closely with California State Parks and park staff to raise funds for a new education and visitor center.
The grant provides critical funding that will move the project into the construction phase. The new facility will replace an old trailer that is not ADA compliant. It will be fully handicap accessible, accommodate school groups on the mountain, expand natural and cultural history content, and improve the overall visitor experience.
Construction could begin as early as autumn 2025.
The project has received widespread community support, including from state Rep. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who called for a $1 million state grant, in part because of the new ability to serve all school districts in Contra Costa County. A variety of community leaders, foundations and organizations have also contributed to and supported the project.
WCB is a state board in California whose primary mission is to approve funds for wildlife habitat protection and restoration and wildlife-focused public access projects.
Founded in 1974, the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that assists the California Department of Parks and Recreation in maintaining and interpreting Mount Diablo State Park for its 700,000 annual visitors.
To better serve visitors and open new opportunities for students, MDIA has launched a campaign to build a new education center in Mitchell Canyon on the northeast side of Mount Diablo in 2022.
