| César Chávez Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of César Chávez Park | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Berkeley, California |
| Coordinates | 37°52′21″N122°19′10″W / 37.87241°N 122.31942°W /37.87241; -122.31942 |
| Area | 90 acres (36.42 ha) |
| Created | 1997 |
| Operated by | City ofBerkeley, California |
| Open | 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Status | Open year round |
César Chávez Park is a 90 acres (36 ha) city park ofBerkeley, California named afterCésar Chávez.[1] It can be found on thepeninsula on the north side of theBerkeley Marina in theSan Francisco Bay and is adjacent toEastshore State Park.
The park's east position in San Francisco Bay provides panoramic views ofSan Francisco, theGolden Gate Bridge, theMarin Headlands, and the East Bay hills. The park's terrain is characterized by very open grassy hills that have become popular for kite flying.[2] Paved paths run the perimeter and throughout the park where picnic tables and barbecue grills are available to the public.
The park began as alandfill dating back to 1957, whendikes were constructed for the purpose of containingmunicipal waste. In 1969, the city adopted the Marina Master Plan, which set aside the landfill area for unstructured recreation. In 1991 the city completely sealed the landfill and the park opened soon thereafter, originally as North Waterfront Park. In 1996, the city renamed the park afterCésar E. Chávez,union leader and founder of theUnited Farm Workers of America.[1]
Alandfill gas flare station lies on the eastern side of the park. Decomposition of the garbage below emits gases, primarilymethane. To prevent its uncontrolled seepage from the ground, the gas is collected by over 40 extraction wells buried throughout the park and routed to the flare station, which thende-waters and burns it at over 1,470 °F (800 °C), converting approximately 99% of the collected methane intocarbon dioxide.[4] Though both methane and carbon dioxide aregreenhouse gases that contribute to the ongoingclimate crisis, the conversion of methane to CO2 reduces its heat-trapping effectiveness by a factor of 25.[5]
A 1990 study reported low levels of methane seepage from the underlying waste and attributed the absence of gases to rapid oxidation by soil microorganisms.[6] As an alternative to the incinerator, local activists proposed to leverage the effect as abioremediation method. The proposal was rejected by theBay Area Air Quality Management District due to its experimental nature.[4]
In 2016, the waning flow of gas was unable to properly sustain the existing flare station, leading to problems including visible smoke, flames, and odor emanating from the chimney.[7] As a result, the original incinerator, which was built in 1989, was replaced with a newer, smaller model better designed to be sustained by the lesser supply of fuel.[8]
Popular activities includemodel rocket launching,kite flying,drone andmodel airplane flying,picnicking, dog walking,jogging andwalking. Although on a peninsula, the park has no access to the water because there are no beaches nor steps down through the park's reinforced shoreline.[1]
The City Council will soon consider whether to approve the design and construction of a restroom in the park for $360,000. The "Portland Loo" style freestanding restroom would not just serve the homeless who congregate there but also the general public, said Councilman Steve Hansen, who represents downtown.
37°52′21″N122°19′10″W / 37.87241°N 122.31942°W /37.87241; -122.31942
