Eastshore State Park
Dedicated in 2002, the Eastshore State Park is a San Francisco Bay Area treasure, providing recreational opportunities for approximately 2 million park visitors each year. Administered by the East Bay Regional Park District, the 8.5-mile-long park preserves more than 2,000 acres of uplands and tidelands along the scenic Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, Albany and Richmond waterfronts. Citizens for East Shore Parks played an important role in the 30-year effort of community activists and environmentalists to create the park.
Please read about the many ongoing developments in the Eastshore State Park: http://www.ebparks.org/parks/eastshore
Views of East Shore State Park
On June 17, 2009, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors approved construction of the third and final phase of the Berkeley Meadow Restoration Project at Eastshore State Park in Berkeley. This $2,000,000 project begins construction in early July and will create seasonal wetlands, coastal prairie and coastal scrub atop an old landfill. The 72-acre Meadow is being restored in three phases over five years in order to minimize impacts to wildlife and to create a diverse and thriving habitat for plants and animals in this urban area.
About 30 acres of the Meadow Phase III area will be cleared of non-native vegetation and debris, and capped with about 28,000 cubic yards of clean imported soil. This will create a new barrier to isolate landfill garbage from wildlife that uses the restored habitat. The soil will be contoured to provide a more natural looking surface and planted with native vegetation. Special measures will be taken to protect an additional 7 acres of existing wetlands and a nesting location for the northern harrier, also know as the marsh hawk.
The Meadow restoration enjoys strong community support. The public has had a hands-on involvement in its restoration. The Park District, Citizens for East Shore Parks, Friends of Five Creeks and other organizations have hosted several community stewardship events in previously completed phases in the Meadow restoration. The events have provided the opportunity for the public, in particular school groups, to learn about the history of the Meadow and to make a personal connection with the environment. More community stewardship events will be scheduled over the coming years to help assure the success of this important restoration project.
During project construction the trails through the interior of the Meadow will be closed. The purpose of these closures is to protect the public from construction equipment operating adjacent to the trails and to make some needed repairs to the trails. The public can still use the perimeter trails to watch project construction. Major project construction activities should be concluded by the end of October 2009 and the trails will be reopened for all to enjoy.
The 37-acre Phase III project is funded primarily through a $1,400,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy. The Park District is providing $200,000 in Measure AA funds and the City of Berkeley is contributing $100,000. Knapp excavators also donated about $300,000 in soil for the project. The cost for restoring the entire 72-acre Meadow is about $6,000,000.
Press release: June 23, 2009:
Shelly Lewis, Public Information Supervisor, (510) 544-2208 or slewis@ebparks.org
Brad Olson, Environmental Programs Manager, (510) 544-2622 or bolson@ebparks.org
Link to this release online.
Resources
- Berkeley Meadow Restoration – Fact Sheet
- Detail map of Berkeley Meadow – Phase III
- Berkeley Meadow Aerial View – Phases I - III
- Eastshore State Park: $27 million to restore and expand while completing segments of the Bay Trail and developing access improvements
- Bay Trail: $12.3 million to complete the 86-mile Bay Trail along the East Bay shoreline - connect urban communities to shoreline access and wildlife viewing
- Point San Pablo/Point Molate: $4.5 million to acquire and restore the shoreline, complete Bay Trail
- North Richmond wetlands: $3.6 million to preserve marshes and develop public access for education programs and wildlife viewing
- Point Pinole: $7.5 million to develop new road, parking, recreational areas, visitor center, maintenance facilities; complete park boundary; and restore wetlands
- San Pablo Bay Shoreline: $855,000 to acquire, restore, and provide public access
- Oakland Shoreline: $10.8 million to clean and restore marshes for birds and shoreline access, trails and facilities for urban residents
- Crown Beach: $6.5 million to replace and expand Crab Cove interpretative center; restore and expand Alameda Beach
- Urban Creeks: $8 million to restore urban creeks and acquire creek easements
Thanks for supporting our parks!
On November 4, 2008, voters in Alameda and Contra Costa counties overwhelmingly said Yes to Parks! Measure WW, the EBRPD open space bond measure extension, passed with a 71% YES vote, easily meeting the 2/3 majority needed. Measure WW preserves vanishing open space and shoreline and helps communities meet their recreational needs. It is an extension of a 1988 bond measure that allowed the East Bay Regional Park District to establish our current network of parklands, recognized as one of the best of any urban region in the U.S. That measure provided funds to secure 34,000 acres, created 17 new parks and facilities, and added more than 100 miles of trails. The extension authorizes another 20 years of continued funding for 67 current and future parks, open space, and projects. Of the revenue raised, 25 percent will benefit local parks and recreation projects, while 75 percent will fund regional park acquisition and development, open space preservation, and habitat restoration. East Bay shoreline areas that will benefit include: Also, we’re pleased to congratulate CESP Board member and Richmond resident Whitney Dotson on his election to the EBRPD Board of Directors! Thank you all for supporting our parks! |
California's Department of Parks has designated the area known as the Brick-yard for intensified public access and for the headquarters of the Eastshore State Park. The State allocated $11 million for development of Phase I. All parties, including CESP, agreed that the funds are needed to create an inviting Park entrance, but differences of opinion regarding the design emerged between the State and the East Bay Regional Park District.
Valid points were raised by everyone. The State wanted a design that some called a "classic urban park." Phase I would include infrastructure utilities, turf, a parking lot, extensive pathways, and a building that could serve as a visitors' center. The State got some preliminary concurrence in its design concepts from various stakeholders, including CESP as an organization that represents the public interest.
The Park District felt that the north shore of the Brickyard, which is open to the Bay, is susceptible to erosion and needed riprap protection, and they wanted to include a corporation yard. The city of Berkeley originally objected to that because the City already has one a short distance away. Additionally, the District wanted a design that wouldn't require large amounts of funding for ongoing maintenance. The State estimated that its design would require more than $300,000 annually for maintenance, money the District does not have in its budget. Unfortunately, the state's severe budget crunch prevents State Parks from contributing to the maintenance costs at the Brickyard.
Everyone had the best intentions. State Parks and the District wanted to come to some meeting of the minds, but there appeared to be a logjam over getting the two concepts to meld. In particular, the State was concerned about any significant design changes without getting public input. CESP stepped in to speed the resolution of the different interests.
CESP met with representatives from the State and District, providing a forum for people to explain their concerns and offering suggestions to resolve problems. Phone conversations between the two parties were held, and today, CESP is optimistic that a plan for the Brickyard will soon emerge. CESP will continue to help facilitate outreach to the public, including hosting public forums to review the new plans. The State will circulate its new design aimed at providing needed infrastructure, pathways and low maintenance landscaping, will consider District budgetary concerns, and likely delay opening a visitor's center, but allow for some presence of a District maintenance facility. The District is also continuing to work with the city of Berkeley to address corporation yard issues.
It is good to get this long-delayed project going. CESP thanks Ruth Coleman, Director of State Parks, and Pat O'Brien, General Manager of the Park District, for their efforts, and Assemblywoman Loni Hancock for her continued work behind the scenes on this process.
by Jessica Tse, CESP intern
On September 6, 2008 CESP joined local residents to celebrate the ground-breaking ceremony of the newest addition at Eastshore State Park, the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex.
The sports complex is named for Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates in recognition of his contributions to the creation of the Eastshore State Park. With the help of CESP and other conservation groups, the East Bay Regional Park District successfully acquired what was in 2003 an unused 16-acre lot in Berkeley. This shoreline parcel has been transformed into an active recreation area with three natural turf and two synthetic turf fields.
A total of $20 million was spent on the ball fields, including the purchase price of the land. State grants totaling $5 million from the Urban Parks Act, the California Youth Soccer & Recreation Facility Grant, and the California Healthy Communities Grant enabled construction to begin. Next will be adding amenities such as a bathroom, but that is contingent on additional funding. Renting the fields to schools for a full season is under consideration.
Creating the ball fields at the Gilman site required mitigation for the Western Burrowing Owl, a Species of Concern in California. On April 16, the City of Albany and the District started a project at the Albany Plateau to create habitat for the owls. There will be a permanent 4-foot fence around the conservation area, which is estimated to be completed in June. Funding to mitigate the loss of habitat from the ball fields is provided through a joint powers agreement between Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, and Richmond.
The Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex will serve the greater East Bay region. According to Berkeley Park and Recreational officer Roger Miller, sports leagues will be required to book for a whole season and any other special event will be by reservation only. All other times will be available for public use.
CESP welcomes this addition to our shoreline park to provide a much needed resource for organized sports teams, as well as offering affordable sports programs for youths.
The City of Albany and the East Bay Regional Park District have completed the 2008 conservation project at the Albany Plateau to create habitat for the burrowing owl. A portion of the Eastshore State Park General Plan includes enhancing and restoring a number of ecosystems and habitat types throughout the park. The Western Burrowing Owl Conservation Area is one such project. Other birds, such as the Northern Harrier and White-tailed Kite will also benefit from the protected habitat.
The conservation area includes a fenced 8.0 acre section area providing low ground cover and some open space with the goal of providing some protection from local predators. Burrows were created inside to simulate the abandoned rodent holes the owl typically inhabits. Included in the plan is preserving and enhancing the half-mile of viewing trail around the perimeter and along the bay and mudflats, which provides excellent bird viewing areas. The East Bay Regional Park District will install interpretive panels about the project.
The burrowing owl is listed as a Species of Concern in California. The rapid development of its grassland habitat has lead to a steady decline in the owls' population. The project includes installation of a four foot permanent fence around the conservation area, and a second temporary six foot chain link fence to close the area during project construction. Estimated time of completion is approximately June 22.
Funding was provided by the five-city (Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, and Richmond) Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Agency to mitigate the loss of habitat from the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex.
While a few dog walkers have complained about losing access to some of the Park, the plateau has been divided half for recreation and half for conservation. This seems like an equitable solution for a park with many uses, especially as dogs have free access to the majority of the Park.
For more information, please contact:
Anne Chaney, Community Development Director
City of Albany
(510) 528-5768
Shelly Lewis, Public Affairs
East Bay Regional Parks
(510) 544-2208
Funds became available in 2007 for the progression of ongoing projects at the Berkeley Meadow and Brickyard Cove of the new Eastshore State Park. The California Coastal Conservancy gave generous grants to the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and the California State Parks Department in order to continue efforts to improve the Berkeley waterfront for people and wildlife alike. EBRPD received $1.5 million and California State Parks received $120,000 for their respective work on the Berkeley Meadow restoration and the Brickyard Cove design. EBRPD will use the grant to complete the third and final phase of restoring Berkeley Meadow. A former landfill, the 90-acre meadow between Interstate 80 and the Berkeley Marina will be largely converted into a natural habitat for birds, though some parts will remain accessible to people. The entire restoration should be completed by 2010.
Meanwhile, California State Parks will use the money for planning a 30-acre
park that is to encompass the area now known as Brickyard Cove. The park
will provide vital open space on what is considered an extremely accessible
and visible part of the shoreline. The Coastal Conservancy granted funds
to the State Department of Parks and Recreation on May 24, 2007 to complete
the plans and design for the Brickyard portion of the project. State Parks
subsequently earmarked state bond funds for the eventual construction. However,
due to disagreement between State Parks and EBRPD, the design work was not
completed and the project is on hold. Once the project is able to move forward,
there will be a public planning process and a final Master Plan and Preliminary
Grading Plan will follow.
Both projects signify a major advance for the Eastshore State Park. Dedicated in 2002, the waterfront park has certainly become a treasure of the East Bay, providing recreational opportunities for approximately 2 million park visitors each year. Berkeley contains the largest portion of the more than 2000 acres of park land. Citizens for East Shore Parks played an instrumental role in the creation of the park and now identifies as one of its primary goals the maintenance and development of the Eastshore State Park, in a way that promotes habitat restoration and recreational use.
