Root Park

City of San Leandro

WMA transformed Root Park from an aging historic site into a vital urban park. WMA's park design served a variety of cultural and ecological goals, including the enhancement of recreational and environmental opportunities for the community by linking the park more closely to the San Leandro Creek. The park design preserves historic monuments, restores the previously hidden stream adjacent to the site, provides places for quiet contemplation as well as large civic celebrations, respects existing landmark redwoods on the site, rejuvenates the rest of the 80-year old landscape, and connects the Civic Center to the downtown commercial area. Root Park serves as a prototype to illustrate the benefits of stream-related recreational and civic activities and is the focal point for a much broader Greenway Master Plan along the San Leandro Creek. This project won the Northern California Chapter ASLA Honorable Mention in 1997.