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The Mount Diablo Interpretive Association is pleased to announce that the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) awarded a $2.6 million grant on August 22 to support the construction of the Mitchell Canyon Education Center in Mount Diablo State Park.
“On behalf of the MDIA, I want to express how excited we are. We are immensely grateful to the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) for this grant and to all the donors and community organizations who believed in the value of this project and generously provided initial funding for it,” said Steve Smith, President of the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA).
MDIA is an all-volunteer organization and the official support organization of Mount Diablo State Park. The organization has worked closely with California State Parks and Mount Diablo staff to obtain funding for a new education and visitor center.
The grant provides critical funds that will move the project into the construction phase. The new facility will replace an old trailer that is not ADA compliant. The new facility will be fully handicap accessible, accommodate school groups on the mountain, expand natural and cultural historical content, and improve the overall visitor experience. Construction could begin as early as fall 2025.
The project has received widespread community support, including from California Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (District 16), who secured a $1 million state grant for the project based in part on the new ability to serve all Contra Costa school districts. 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. https://wcb.ca.gov
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. In 2022, MDIA launched a campaign to build a new education center in Mitchell Canyon on the northeast side of Mount Diablo to provide better care for visitors and open new opportunities for students.
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