Updated: Mystery Changes Made to Hahamongna Watershed Park Trail

Update:

The City of Pasadena shared the following:

We have received numerous questions/requests about the work at this location.  City staff is in the process of making contact with those involved and gathering information.  A full report will be presented at the next Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee meeting on January 22^nd

Update:

In response to recent changes made to a trail at Hahamongna Watershed Park, a Pasadena Parks official told Patch Thursday that the City of Pasadena did not make the changes and is trying to find out who made them.

“We too were in the dark on this one,” said Charles Peretz, Administrator for Pasadena’s Parks and Natural Resources Division.

While some hikers are happy with the changes that include new signage and fencing, Peretz told Patch that the trail improvements did not go through the City’s public review process and need to be reviewed with City staff to see how they fit or do not fit with Pasadena’s Master Plan.

"Our goal is to be consistent with those documents," said Peretz. "We have a constituency who is very interested in those documents and adherence with those."

Some of the work that was done to the trail broke a water irrigation line, Peretz confirmed, so a crew supervisor was called out to the area this past week.

Peretz is trying to gather more information this week and has so far contacted a representative from the City of La Cañada, who said they didn't make the changes, and he is waiting for a response from Los Angeles County.

Since locals who are passionate about the Hahamongna Watershed could be curious or angered about unannounced changes to the trail, the City of Pasadena sent an email (seen below) to the Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee and interested constituents on Tuesday to let them know that the City was unaware of the changes and did not make them.

“We want to be careful and respectful of the community,” said Peretz.

Note: The email below said the changes appeared on the eastside of the park but Peretz said it is the westside.

This Messages is being sent to the Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee and to members of the public who have asked to be notified of new information in Hahamongna Watershed Park.

Below you will find several photographs that depict some trail work completed over the weekend in Hahamongna Watershed Park on City of Pasadena property.  Please know that this work was not authorized nor undertaken by the City.  The park foreman was called in over the weekend because of an emergency water brake that occurred in the park as a result of this work and the completed trail work was discovered at that time.  The work that was completed includes signage, trail railing and additional stones along a trail on the eastside of the park, just north of the park entrance where the equestrian tunnel leads from the park, under Oak Grove Drive and over to La Canada.  City staff is looking into this matter and will be in communication with the agency that undertook this effort.  

Earlier:

A member of the Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group, which aims to improve conditions in the Altadena Crest Trail area, shared the following with Patch Thursday about recent mysterious trail changes made at Hahamongna Watershed Park:

The Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group (ACTRWG) wishes to thank the unknown agency or individuals responsible for the beautiful trail improvements in Hahamongna Watershed Park (HWP). The new trail fencing enhances the connectivity of the Altadena Crest Trail (as well as the USFS Gabrielino Trail into Angeles Forest) to the La Canada Flintridge trail system in HWP near the equestrian tunnel under Oak Grove Drive. See accompanying photos.

The City of Pasadena was not responsible for the trail improvements and does not seem to be pleased by the somewhat mysterious trail improvements that include new wood trail railing, rocks lining the trail edge, and new signage just north of the park entrance before the equestrian tunnel under Oak Grove Drive that leads onto LCF trails. The park foreman stated that there was an associated water line break at the site of the improvements over the last weekend. Nonetheless, trail users are thrilled and we certainly hope Pasadena will take no action to remove the new trail signage and much appreciated improvements. 

Steve Messer

On behalf of the ACTRWG Steering Committee

Correction: A previous version of this article said Peretz had contacted the
La Cañada Trails Council. Peretz contacted a representative from the City of La Cañada and does not have knowledge of the trails council's involvement or lack thereof in the trail changes. Patch apologizes for the error.