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On Tuesday morning, community leaders and neighbors gathered in front of Santa Ynez Valley Union
High School (SYVUHS) for the groundbreaking of the Refugio Road Trails Restoration Project, a
joint project between Santa Barbara County’s Public Works Department and the Santa Barbara Bucket
Brigade. This project features trails connecting SYVUHS and Samantha Drive along Refugio Road
and includes opportunities for community members to participate in volunteer work days on October
1st and October 8th.
At the event Third District County Supervisor Joan Hartmann, whose office secured $250,000 in
funding to complete this project as part of the safe-routes-to-school program, recognized community
members Faith Deeter and Jessica Schley for their dedicated efforts to bring this trail to fruition.
Deeter and Schley identified that the Refugio Road trail is mapped in the Santa Ynez Valley
Community Plan and enlisted the support of neighboring schools and organizations including Santa
Ynez Valley Union High School, the Dunn School, the YMCA, WeWatch, and the County Riding and
Hiking Trails Advisory Committee towards its restoration. “I am pleased to launch this project on
behalf of the community and neighbors who identified this as a priority-project for the Valley.
Creating safe pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians for commuting and recreation is a
high priority for me,” said Supervisor Hartmann. SYVUHS Superintendent Andrew Schwab spoke at
the event and also noted the importance of the trail for the safety of students walking and biking to
school.