Ohlone Park
| Company type | Public park |
|---|---|
| Industry | Recreation, Urban park |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California , United States |
Area served | Berkeley, California |
| Products | Park facilities including grassy areas, trees, pedestrian and cyclist paths, dog park, basketball court, ball field, playgrounds |
Ohlone Park is a publicly accessible linear park situated in Berkeley, California, positioned above the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway and rail lines. It forms an integral segment of the Ohlone Greenway.
Description
This park is divided into two distinct parts: a more extensive four-block stretch along the northern edge of Hearst Avenue, spanning from Sacramento to Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring three cul-de-sacs (California, McGee, Grant); and a smaller one-block area located between Bonita and Milvia streets. It is located just northwest of the University of California at Berkeley campus.
Ohlone Park primarily features grassy areas interspersed with trees and incorporates facilities including paths for pedestrians and cyclists, a designated dog park, a basketball court, and a modest ball field. The dog park, established in 1979, was one of the pioneering off-leash zones in the United States. Four playgrounds are available: two designed for school-aged children (at McGee and Milvia) and two tailored for toddlers (at Bonita and McGee). A large concrete vent at Milvia displays a mural by Native American artist Jean Lamarr, illustrating the history of the Ohlone people.
History
The creation of this park traces back to the late 1960s amid the People's Park controversy. Following Berkeley’s commitment to finance underground BART tunnels through the city, BART acquired properties along Hearst Avenue and demolished them to facilitate cut-and-cover subway construction. Although the land was initially slated for apartment development after construction completion, local residents occupied it by planting grass and trees after protests in May 1969, naming it "People’s Park Annex."
While the site served as a protest ground during demonstrations in 1969, activists largely abandoned it after that summer. Subsequently, BART leased the property to Berkeley for a nominal fee of one dollar annually. The park's conservation and its dedication to the indigenous Ohlone community are attributed to local advocates Alex and Martha Nicoloff. Official dedication took place on June 7, 1979.
Founded in 1983, the non-profit Ohlone Dog Park Association (ODPA) manages the off-leash area and commemorates its founding leader, Martha Scott Benedict.