|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A plan to transform the former Alameda County horse racetrack Golden Gate Fields into an enormous community park could give a whole new meaning to the term “photo finish.”
Conservationists, elected officials, and community members announced visions Tuesday for an expansive, nature and amenity-filled open space on the 161-acre bayfront property after the owner agreed to sell the parcel, according to a joint news release from the Trust for Public Land and the East Bay Regional Park District.
The Trust for Public Land is a San Francisco-based nonprofit conservation organization that acts as an intermediary between different public entities in real estate transactions for the purpose of land conservation and the preservation of open space.
The organization was offered an exclusive agreement to acquire the land for $175 million, which it must do by the end of 2026. The Trust for Public Land has about $20 million earmarked for the purchase and plans to raise the rest through a combination of public and philanthropic sources, according to a spokesperson for the organization.
The land will then be transferred to the East Bay Regional Park District.
The racetrack sits on land divided by the city lines of Albany and Berkeley. The sale to a public entity could cost both cities future tax revenue. The track was closed amid declining revenue and repeated criticism from animal rights groups asking both cities to end horse racing. The closure of the track marked the end of the last dedicated horse racing venue operating in Northern California.
Guillermo Rodriguez, the Trust for Public Land’s California state director, said negotiations with the property’s owners, The Stronach Group, gave the public a rare chance to take ownership of bayfront property and develop it for community use.
“Golden Gate Fields offers a truly generational opportunity to reimagine a world-class bayside park for the Bay Area,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “With the East Bay Regional Park District and a wide range of public and community partners, we have the chance to expand shoreline access, restore vital ecosystems, and create a place where hundreds of thousands of residents can connect with the outdoors.”
But the sale to a public entity could cause some budget headaches for the city of Albany, which will lose an estimated $800,000 in revenue from use fees, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars more from sales taxes and property taxes, according to a budget presentation to the Albany City Council last year from the City Manager’s Office.
Albany Mayor Peggy McQuaid sounded optimistic about the acquisition and said in a statement that she looked forward to seeing the community’s ideas for the space. She noted another benefit of preserving the property as an open space would be to protect against the effects of climate change on shoreline communities.
“This site offers significant potential for environmental stewardship, shoreline protection, and a variety of recreational uses and amenities,” McQuaid said in a statement. “I look forward to the robust public engagement process and to hearing the ideas and perspectives our community members will bring to shaping this incredible space.”
The park would link surrounding public land to create a contiguous open space connecting to Albany Beach, McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, Albany Bulb, and Brooks Island Regional Preserve.
Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii also celebrated the news and said it would give the community prime access to waterfront amenities.
“I am excited to partner with the East Bay Regional Park District to engage our community in reimagining the former racetrack as a vibrant public space, expanding opportunities to gather in community and experience the beauty of our shoreline,” Ishii said in a statement. “From kayaking and kite flying to sunset dining, Berkeley’s waterfront parks are a treasured destination enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.”
— Story by Thomas Hughes, Bay City News
