THE 24TH ANNUAL EL SOBRANTE STROLL
BEFORE: The library’s service driveway was located on prime
creek-side space outside the library’s Community Room.
Photo: Maurice Abraham
AFTER: An expansive new terrace/mini-amphitheater overlooking San
Pablo Creek has replaced the old service driveway.
Photo: Bob Sharp
El Sobrante Opens New Downtown Park
By Maurice Abraham
Are you attending the El Sobrante Stroll on September 17th?
Then also plan a visit to El Sobrante’s newest public park…just
across the Appian Way bridge…and be prepared for a pleasant
surprise! Some five years in the works, this welcoming new
public place is scheduled to be open by Stroll day. The new
park, located directly behind the existing library and adjacent to
San Pablo Creek, includes significant new improvements to the
grounds around the library, including long-overdue parking lot
rehabilitation.
A key feature of the new park is its brick-paved terrace
overlooking San Pablo Creek. This beautiful new space, with
its oval configuration, wide arcing stair steps and raised ‘stage’
platform, functions as both a casual outdoor gathering place and
a mini-amphitheater.
Anticipated uses of the terrace/amphitheater are endless,
ranging from outdoor meetings and open-mic readings, to small
performances and private events such as birthdays and weddings.
While the terrace/amphitheater space is available for general
public use, scheduling of its use for organized events will be
managed by Library staff.
Other improvements include new library entrance features
with ADA access upgrades, new street-front sidewalks and
considerable new landscaping. Much of the new landscaping
features native plants, as does the native plant demonstration
garden developed and maintained by the SPAWNERS (San
Pablo Creek Watershed Neighbors Education and Restoration
Society) volunteers. The existing Memorial Rose Garden has
been preserved as have the tiled benches featuring student art.
A memorial plaque honoring former El Sobrante Attorney
and community leader, Robert N. Sharp, is also being added.
For over forty years, Bob was active in multiple efforts aimed
at community improvement and guiding El Sobrante’s future.
In the early 2000s he led the 94803 Task Force to develop a
new plan for the downtown. Many of the key ideas in the Task
Force plan were incorporated in the newest downtown plan
adopted in 2013.
Planning for the new downtown park was initiated in March
2013 by Supervisor John Gioia with the creation of an Ad-Hoc
Downtown Park Task Force. After considering multiple
downtown sites, the County-owned library site was selected
because it eliminated land acquisition hurdles and was seen as an
opportunity to integrate the existing Children’s reading Garden,
the SPAWNERS native plant garden and underutilized portions
of the site into a comprehensive overall park design.
Funding for the park came from the County’s existing park
dedication fee fund and the East Bay Regional Park District’s
Measure WW program, a combined total of approximately $1.1
million.
Measure WW, which made funding available to local
governments for high priority community park projects, was
approved by voters in Alameda and Contra Costa counties in
November 2008. The measure extended Measure AA, approved
in 1988, to help the Park District meet the increasing demand to
preserve open space for recreation and wildlife habitat.
El Sobrante Valley residents are excited to have this new
venue for small outdoor events, and anticipate it’s becoming a
popular community gathering place.
About the Author: Maurice Abraham is a retired community planning and development consultant and active El Sobrante resident. He is a Board member of the
El Sobrante Chamber of Commerce and Citizens for a Greener El Sobrante, and a cofounder of the El Sobrante Historical Society. He resided in El Sobrante from
1946 to 1969, relocated to San Jose to pursue his career and, with his wife Jeannie, returned in 2003.