Frequently Asked Questions

Why are we doing a Recreation and Parks Master Plan?

The City last created a long-range plan for the development, operation, and maintenance of its park and open space system in 1998. With shifting demographics, new trends in park use, and changing climatic conditions, the time has come for an updated Master Plan to guide future investment in and maintenance of the park system.

The goal of this project is to establish a shared, clearly defined vision for the City and school districts’ parks system and other school-owned community assets within the City of San Leandro, and to use community input as the primary driver of this vision. The Master Plan will provide guidance for both short- and long-range planning related to parks and recreation in the community, and establish a baseline set of standards for all parks and recreational assets system-wide.

How will school facilities be addressed? Are they considered parks?

The City has joint-use agreements with both the San Leandro and San Lorenzo Unified School Districts that allow for community use of many of their school fields after hours and on weekends. During those times, these facilities operate like City parks and meet some of the community’s recreational needs. As part of this Master Plan process, we will be looking at how these spaces are working and proposing recommended updates to these joint-use agreements and to how community members can use these facilities.

What opportunities will there be for me to get involved?

There will be lots of opportunities to participate during this process, including public workshops, pop-up booths at community events, and online surveys. Please sign up for email updates and follow us on social media to stay connected and to be notified when an opportunity is coming up. Community events and surveys will also be posted on our Get Involved page as they are scheduled.

I have a suggestion for a specific park. Who can I tell about it?

There will be opportunities to share your ideas for specific parks during our public workshops! We will also have specific outreach related to a site-specific master plan for Washington Manor Park. Please be sure to sign up for our mailing list to receive notifications for all the public engagement opportunities. You can also send us comments via email at any time to Project Manager Ely Hwang at [email protected].

What is the intended outcome of this Master Plan?

The final Master Plan will set the Recreation and Parks Department’s vision and priorities for the entire park system for the next 15+ years. It will lay out top priorities for new capital improvements to the City’s parks, set maintenance goals, guide equitable investments system-wide, and ensure that the parks system is being considered holistically. Using the Master Plan as a guide, the Recreation and Parks Department will be able to better balance needs and growth throughout the parks system. Further, the Master Plan will set a course for long-term cooperation and collaboration between the Recreation and Parks Department and the San Leandro and San Lorenzo Unified School Districts to best serve the community’s needs.