Corriganville Park on the east end of Simi Valley suffered extensive damages in the Woolsey Fire of November 2018 and was closed for a couple months before reopening in mid-January. It is now mid-March, and while portions of the burnt area are clearly evident, there is a very special orange poppy display on the east hill of the park that is attracting many local residents.

In my visit on Saturday, March 16th, I encountered smiles on everyone’s faces. With the sights and sounds of the 118 up in the distance, these beautiful poppies brought a sense of community and joy to those present.

Corriganville Park is located at 7001 Smith Road in Simi Valley. From Thousand Oaks, take the 23 north to the 118 east. Take the Kuehner offramp and turn right to Smith Road and Corriganville Park.

The park is named after Ray “Crash” Corrigan, a stuntman/actor who owned the park from 1937 to 1965, when over 3,500 movies, TV shows and commercials were filmed there. In 1949, the Corrigan Movie Ranch opened as a Western-style amusement park with a train ride and stagecoach ride; in fact, in the late 1950s the Ranch had greater weekend attendance than Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm!