Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
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| Point Pinole Regional Shoreline | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Contra Costa County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Richmond, California |
| Area | 2,315 acres (9.37 km2) |
| Created | 1973 |
| Operated by | East Bay Regional Park District |
| Status | Open |
Point Pinole Regional Shoreline is a regional park on the shores of the San Pablo Bay, California (the northern arm of the San Francisco Bay), in the United States. It is approximately 2,315 acres (9.37 km2) in area, and is operated by the East Bay Regional Park District. It includes the Dotson Family Marsh (formerly Breuner Marsh) and the Point Pinole Lagoon and hosts the North Richmond Shoreline Festival.[1]
History
Point Pinole is located in the city of
Although the Point Pinole factory operated until 1960, when Bethlehem Steel Company acquired the property from Atlas Powder Company, little trace of it now remains. After several years, the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the property and opened Point Pinole to the public as a park in 1973.
The park features the promontory of Point Pinole, located where the East Bay shoreline turns from running south towards Berkeley and
The parks trails are almost level allowing for easy walks.[5] There is a $3 parking fee and a $2 per dog fee.[6]
In 2008 the park acquired the adjoining Breuner Marsh site and added it to the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park. EBRPD renamed it the Dotson Family Marsh.[7]
Environment and wildlife
The park is a mixture of grassland and woodland, with beaches and low cliffs, and it has a particularly rich
Whittell Marsh is the site of one of the few remaining Native American
The park is located on the Hayward Fault, whose exact position is marked by monuments erected by the United States Geological Survey. The USGS has a seismometer posted along the Union Pacific Railroad, which divides the park from the mainland; the park is reached via a bridge across the railroad.
The
Recent construction projects
Playground area
The playground at Point Pinole park was temporarily closed for construction from mid-August through October, 2017. During this time, the playground was resurfaced with wood fiber, equipment replaced with a net climber and a stand-up spinner, and a wheelchair-accessible path and picnic tables were added. All park paths remained open to the public during this work.[4]
Atlas Road Bridge
On April 22, 2017, EBRPD dedicated the Atlas Road Bridge, a combination vehicle and wheelchair-compliant pedestrian bridge that connects to the San Francisco Bay Trail. This activity included building a new main entrance and parking area. The new entrance provides a bridge over active railroad tracks, which had been a hazard for pedestrians approaching the park from the parking lot. The project cost $11.7 million, which was largely funded by local bond Measure CC, the City of Richmond and grants from the following grantors:
- California State Parks
- California Natural Resources Agency
- Contra Costa Transportation Authority
The new bridge is part of a multi-phase project that will eventually lead to additional picnic areas, a new playground and the route to a new interpretive center for the park.[4]
Dotson Family Marsh
At the same ceremony in April 2017, EBRPD also renamed and dedicated Breuner Marsh as the Dotson Family Marsh, honoring a family led by Reverend Richard Dotson, who had worked for many years to keep Breuner Marsh wild and open to the public, opposing several attempts to develop the tract for commercial ventures.[b] Rev. Dotson was able to organize residents of his own neighborhood in Richmond, Parchester, reminding them that the builder of their houses had promised they would always have access to the bay. He also recruited the Sierra Club as an influential ally in the three-decade legal fight against the developers. Dotson's group prevailed, and EBRPD acquires the marsh through eminent domain in March 2008. The district then attached the marsh to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline.[9] [c]
Habitat restoration
The Dotson Marsh restoration project is intended to adapt the PPS to a self-sustaining wetland complex that will include filtering polluted run-off water. It also provides adaptations for anticipated sea level rise caused by climate change. The cost of restoration is estimated at $14 million, with at least 10 different entities providing funds.[4]
Notes
References
- ^ North Richmond Shoreline Festival
- ^ a b "Listed California Historical Resources No. 1002-1. No. 1002-1 Site of Giant Powder Company (Point Pinole) " California State Parks. Office of Historical Preservation. 1917. Accessed September 4, 2017.
- ^ "Listed California Historical Resources No. 1002." California State Parks. Office of Historical Preservation. 1917. Accessed September 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Point Pinole Regional Shoreline". East Bay Regional Park District.
- ^ "Point Pinole Regional Shoreline". Redwood Hikes Press.
- ^ Bean, Krysten. "Patch Picks Ideas for a Less Crowded Memorial Day Weekend." El Cerrito Patch. May 26, 2011. Accessed September 3, 2017
- ^ Ioffee, Karina, "Wetlands renamed in honor of Richmond family", East Bay Times, November 7, 2016.
- ^ "Whittell Marsh Shellmound", Bay Area Native Sites, retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ^ Alvarez, Ana M. and Erich Pfueler. "Preserving a Marsh for People and Wildlife: The Dotson Family Marsh." Parks & Recreation. February 1, 2017. Accessed September 4, 2017.
External links
- Rose, Evelyn. "Giant Powder Company: Historical essay." Digital archive @ Found SF. 2007–8. Accessed July 26, 2018.
- East Bay Regional Park District: official Point Pinole Regional Shoreline website
- A short history of California Historical Landmarks — including #1002
- Wikimapia: aerial image of Point Pinole
