Good news: Expansion dedicated at Micke Grove

Richard and Barbara Wortley unveil the plaque dedicating the new 3-acre lake at Micke Grove Park to Richard's late father, Sydney C. Wortley during a dedication ceremony Thursday at the Lodi park. (Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel)

Good news: Expansion dedicated at Micke Grove

Bad news: 15-acre addition delayed until August

By Ross Farrow
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Video contributed by Cyndy Green

Friday, June 20, 2008 8:33 AM PDT

Comments (2 comment(s))

A plethora of elected officials, county employees and contractors celebrated the dedication of the 15-acre addition to Micke Grove Park in south Lodi on Thursday.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that the new addition — with a 3-acre man-made lake — won't be open until August, said Dave Beadles, San Joaquin County's parks and recreation director.

Although most of the $5 million expansion project has been completed, park officials want to keep the new acreage in the park's northwest corner closed for most of the summer to keep children away from heavy construction equipment, Beadles said.

Some drainage and irrigation work still needs to be done, Beadles said, and some rip rap rock needs to be moved along the lake, named after the late benefactor Sydney C. Wortley.

The lake is the expansion project's major component in the northwest corner of Micke Grove Park, near Armstrong Road and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

New features will include a grass area, a shaded picnic shelter that can accommodate 100 people and a new park entrance farther north on Micke Grove Road than the current entrance.

New features at Micke Grove Park

The 15-acre expansion of Micke Grove Park will open in August. Here are some of the features:

A 3-acre man-made lake named after the late Sydney Wortley.

A pedestrian bridge across the lake.

Paddle boats.

Aquacycles — a plastic tricycle-like vehicle for use on the lake.

A large fountain in the lake sprays water into the air.

A tot lot for children to include swings, slides, a climbing rock and a water feature where people can get sprayed during hot weather.

A shaded group picnic area seating 100.

Source: San Joaquin County

"These are features that belong to the community," Ken Vogel, chairman of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, said during Thursday's dedication ceremony.

County Supervisor Victor Mow recalled his fond memories at Micke Grove Park.

"My first Boy Scout campout was here," Mow said. "My high school senior day was here. I have attended senior awareness days here for many years."

The dedication also featured a plaque in Wortley's honor in front of the lake. It was unveiled by his son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Barbara Wortley, who live in the Seattle area.

"It's exceedingly pleasing," Richard Wortley said about the lake being named after his father.

Sydney Wortley, who died in 2003 at the age of 93, gave several million dollars to Micke Grove Park and Zoo. He was a close friend of park founder William Micke for many years.

After the ceremony, attendees were invited to take a plastic cup of Mosquito fish and drop the fish into running water that carried the fish down a white plastic tube into the lake.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

papercut wrote on Jun 20, 2008 7:39 PM:

" sam, it probably wasn't luxurious for susie's taste, like Hutchins Square was. Wasn't that part of her greenbelt dream? "

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sam wrote on Jun 20, 2008 4:38 PM:

" The new addition to the park is gorgeous. I still cannot believe the Lodi CC did not want to include this beautiful park in Lodi's general plan.

Oh well, that is Lodi's loss. "

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