Lake Woollomes is a staple recreational park that families enjoy for fishing, barbecues, and picnics. However, the lake has seen better days and has been subjected to years of severe underfunding, leading community organizations to take the initiative in cleaning up and restoring the park themselves.
The lake is owned by the Bureau of Reclamation and leased by Kern County Parks. Its primary purpose is to serve as a reservoir for the Friant-Kern Canal, which supplies irrigation water to the surrounding agricultural fields. Because its main function is tied to irrigation infrastructure, recreational purposes often come second.
Despite these challenges, local organizations and residents have continued working to preserve the lake for the community. One such effort was led by Esau Torres, organizing manager for Pulsos Del Barrio, an organization dedicated to empowering and uplifting the next generation of young Latino leaders. Torres led a community cleanup and barbecue grill restoration project at the lake.
“A lot of the times when we think about leadership, we think that you need this high level training to do something and what we recognize is that our community already has a lot of the leadership skills that we need to survive, but also to give us an idea of how we can better impact our community with what we already know,” said Torres.
Marivel Servin also participated in Pulsos Del Barrio’s cleanup effort. She and her partner had originally visited Lake Woollomes to relax and enjoy the scenery when they recognized familiar faces volunteering at the event and decided to join in spontaneously.
“We were planning to come to the lake to just get a break from like our phones and work, so we were just here. We recognized Bryan and Evelyn and the organization here today, and we went to go say hi, and they were like ‘do you want to join us,’ and we decided to do it,” said Servin. “We just love our community, and knowing that we had other people that we knew here really motivated us to just join in on cleaning. We love coming to the lake, so we want to make sure that a lot of other people can enjoy it,” said Servin.
Alongside Servin were several youth volunteers who saw an opportunity to make a difference in their community.
“I’m familiar with this place. I grew up around here. I figured, why not help the community, stepping out of my comfort zone? This is my first time helping with community service,” said Matthew Serna, a high school senior.
Delano City Councilmember Bryan Osorio also attended the event and noted that residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the lake’s neglect.
“I know the community has complained to me as a councilmember, this is technically county jurisdiction. We observed it, and so this is just one way of giving back,” said Osorio. “This is something we want to continue offering to the community and to encourage others, whether you’re younger or older, get involved. Let’s give back one way or another.”
While Lake Woollomes continues to face underfunding, community members and local organizations are working to preserve the park through volunteer cleanup efforts. For many residents, the initiative serves as a vital opportunity to give back to the community, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy one of Delano’s staple recreational spaces.
