TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

A train whistle sounded in the distance as Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall cut a thick blue ribbon Wednesday, signifying that the Uplands of Kern River Parkway is open to the public.

"Imagine it on a 60-degree day instead of a 110-degree day," Hall joked to a small crowd of mostly city and county officials who stood under a canopy overlooking the Kern River.

While the Uplands park -- which was funded with a $1.4 million state grant from Proposition 50, $314,000 from city Park Improvement fees and $275,000 from the city's agricultural water fund -- seemed more desolate than lush, officials were optimistic the park will come into its own.

"I'm overjoyed," said Bill Cooper, president of the Kern River Parkway Foundation. Cooper said he "grew up" in the area, and that the river parkway had become "severely degraded over the years."

According to director of the Kern County Department of Parks and Recreation Bob Lerude, the project was the result of several years of work.

"The first time (the city) applied for the grant, they were turned down and then the second time they got approval."

Bakersfield Department of Recreation and Parks director Dianne Hoover said the first grant proposal was submitted in 2008 and the approved proposal was submitted in 2009 .

"And now," Lerude said, "it's come to fruition."

The Uplands park, located behind Sam Lynn Ball Park off Chester Avenue, is "the first of its kind," Hooversaid. Rather than featuring the usual grassy open areas or a playground, the Uplands, Hoover said, will provide an "outdoor education."

The 14-acre, long park was designed to recreate the riparian area along the river from a century ago, when native plants provided a natural habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Only today, the area also features six deck areas overlooking the river with seating, shade and informational kiosks.

"We wanted to feature the importance of the river and also the canal, and how important it is to Kern County," Hoover said.

Hoover said the 32-mile-long bike path that runs along the river throughout the whole Kern River Parkway (of which the Uplands are only a small part) provides access to the park.

The park itself is crossed with foot paths that Hoover said will make for "a nice shady walk" when the trees mature.

"The whole purpose is that once the trees mature, it'll draw some animals and birds to that area," said Hoover, "birds and animals that people can watch and just observe." She said kit foxes, beavers, egrets and blue herons, among other native species, will likely return to the area.

But on Wednesday, skinny sycamore and cottonwood saplings supported by stakes punctuated a dirt landscape. The grass, which Harris & Associates architect Arthur Guy said will grow after the winter rains, was nowhere to be seen.

Two telescopes were trained on the river, but little moved except the water.

Compared to what California Native Plant Society Kern County chapter president Dorie Giragosian said was there before, however, the park is already an oasis.

"Part of the area between Manor and Chester was a dump," Giragosian said.

And once the trees put down roots, said Hoover, within a few years, "you'll just be like, wow, this is really nice."