MOUNT DIABLO, Calif. — The California Wildlife Conservation Commission last week awarded a $2.6 million grant to the Mount Diablo Guide Association to support construction of the Mitchell Canyon Education Center in Mount Diablo State Park.
“On behalf of the MDIA, I want to say how excited we are,” said Steve Smith, president of the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. “We are extremely 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 seed funding.”
MDIA is an all-volunteer organization and the official support organization for Mount Diablo State Park. We are working closely with California State Parks and park staff to raise funds for a new education and visitor center.
“This grant provides critical funding to move the project forward into the construction phase. The new facility will replace aging trailers that are not ADA compliant. The facility will be fully accessible and will be able to accommodate school groups on the mountain, expand natural and cultural history content, and enhance the overall visitor experience.”
Construction could begin as early as fall 2025.
The project has garnered broad community support, including from State Representative Rebecca Bauer Kahan, who secured $1 million in state funding in part due to the new opportunity to serve every school district in Contra Costa County. A variety of community leaders, foundations and organizations have also contributed to and supported the project.
The WCB is a California state board whose primary purpose is to approve funding for wildlife habitat protection, restoration, and wildlife-oriented public access projects.
Founded in 1974, the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that assists the California Department of Parks and Recreation in maintaining and guiding Mount Diablo State Park for its 700,000 annual visitors.
The MDIA has launched a campaign to build a new education center in Mitchell Canyon on the northeast side of Mount Diablo in 2022 to improve services to visitors and open new student opportunities.