The Future OF ALTA PLAZA PARK

At over 100 years old, Alta Plaza Park remains unparalleled in its panoramic views of the City and Bay. To maintain and continue to beautify this historical landmark, a comprehensive Master Plan has been developed. The current phase of work expected to conclude in the second half of 2018 incorporates some elements of the plan including:

  • Replacement of sod and automatic irrigation system on the northern half of the park;
  • Installation of Donor Recognition Site; bike racks and benches
  • Installation of perimeter drainage system;
  • Installation of a concrete driveway up to Donor Site at Scott and Washington; and
  • Installation of a new pathway at the Jackson and Pierce entrance
Screen Shot 2018-07-30 at 10.57.38 PM.png

THE HISTORY 

Over the course of many years, Alta Plaza Park has suffered from neglect due to a diminishing allotment of funds to the city's Recreation and Parks Department maintenance operation. Pathways are disintegrated and dangerous, benches are splintered, concrete regularly falls off walls in large chunks, trash cans are missing fronts and tops or simply not where they need to be.   The park has also been subject to inappropriate and ineffective efforts to "improve" it.  One example is the south side of the park, which is now covered in a sad and sorry mess of fescue (also known as no-mow grass), the result of a water conservation project that was completed in 2012 (and which seems, in fact, not to be conserving water at all).

The sidewalks on the perimeter of the park have been problematic for more than 25 years; however, the Recreation and Parks Department now has a plan to install a system of French drains to fix the problem.

Friends of Alta Plaza Park decided in early 2014 that it was time to come up with a Master Plan for the park's renovation that would address the needs of the community for a safe, beautiful, and usable park.  With this plan, we hope to avoid the arbitrary installation of no-mow grasses or inappropriate shrubs and other work that does not meet the needs or interests of the community.  It will be a blueprint for phasing in improvements that the community wants to see.  Community members had opportunities to attend meetings at which solutions to the park's problems were presented and evaluated before being incorporated into the master plan. 

For current updates, please see the Events & News page.