Gazebo and picnic tables at Willow Island. Photo by queerbychoice. Willow Island is a 176-acre piece of land that used to be an island in the middle of the Feather River but that is now attached to the west bank of the river, due to slight changes in the course of the river in recent years. The land is now the site of a park with 2.5 miles of trails, a bike path, and a quarter-mile wheelchair-accessible boardwalk.

Willow Island is located directly north of the 10th Street Bridge, approximately between Lynn Way in Yuba City and 14th Street, Marysville. The land is owned by Yuba City, which received a $1.4 million grant from the State of California to evacuate homeless campers, clear away trash from illegal dumping, restore five acres of native plants, and improve access to a small, narrow beach. Yuba City paid for an additional $200,000 in improvements and hopes to receive a second state grant that would enable the improvement of 76 additional acres.

Links

"Riverside park for YC set: City gets $1.4 million state grant for land north of bridges" by John Dickey, Appeal-Democrat, June 28, 2007 "New recreation area in Yuba City closer to reality" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, June 17, 2010 "Fire wipes out threatened species' habitat" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, August 18, 2010 "State panel to review Y.C.'s Willow Island project" by Howard Yune, Appeal-Democrat, November 27, 2010 "Crews slashing away at fire-prone river bottoms" by Ryan McCarthy, Appeal-Democrat, August 08, 2011 "Feather River park project takes shape" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, March 22, 2012 "Where will homeless go in wake of Yuba City park project?" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, April 21, 2012 "Garter snakes treated better than homeless at Yuba City park site?" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, May 06, 2012 "Willow Island homeless caught in Yuba City crossfire" by Nancy Pasternack, Appeal-Democrat, May 09, 2012 "Willow Island homeless told to leave" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, May 30, 2012 "Exodus from Willow Island in Yuba City" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, June 02, 2012 "Brush fire burning along Willow Island: Smoke from Yuba City fire seen in Marysville" by Appeal-Democrat staff, Appeal-Democrat, July 31, 2012 "Yuba City's riverside park taking form" by Ashley Gebb, Appeal-Democrat, September 02, 2012 "Yuba City's Willow Island readies for December opening" by Ryan McCarthy, Appeal-Democrat, October 24, 2012