2010 marks a year since “Ours To Keep” the 75th anniversary celebration of the East Bay Regional Parks District – one of the finest cures for Nature Deficit Disorder.
Established in 1934, the East Bay Regional Parks District became the first regional parks agency in the United States. It consists of 65 parks with more than 100,000 acres and remains the largest in the country. Once home to the Ohlone and Miwok people until the “Mission Era” of the late 1700s to the early 1800s, the area became a territory of Spain, Mexico and finally the United States. Contained within Alameda and Contra Costa counties, the parks are open to everyone with many activities to enjoy. Parks are fairly easy to access. Several parks are accessible via public transportation. Here are 7 reasons why I truly like East Bay Regional Parks.
1. Tilden National Park is one of the oldest of the 65 parks. Located in Berkeley, it features the Little Farm with cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits and chickens. Of course the animals love to eat! So please bring lettuce or celery to feed them. Some other notable features are the famous Jewel Lake Nature trail, the Brazilian Room for weddings and banquets, a Merry-Go-Round, the Botanical Garden and the Steam Train.
2. Meet the Naturalists. Many of the parks have Naturalists who teach classes and guide tours. Are you into sailing, swimming, archery, golfing or hiking? Good! Try these activities at various parks. Chabot and Tilden Regional Parks are known for having beautiful golf courses. Del Valle Regional Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline are popular for boating.
3. Lake Chabot was once a primary source of water for the East Bay. It is still used an emergency source for water. Mainly built by Chinese laborers, the park is now popular with boaters, hikers, picnickers and bicyclists. Did you know that many of the trees were originally transported from several foreign countries?
4. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. You guessed it! Until the end of the 1800s, it was a coal “black diamonds” mine. It then became a sand mine for glass production until the 1940s. Today this preserve is a favorite among wildlife lovers. In addition to lush vegetation, coyotes and snakes, some mountain lions, foxes and over 100 bird species can be seen here. Be sure to visit this beautiful 6,286 acre stretch of wilderness located in Antioch.
5. Alameda Creek Trail opened in 1973 however, much of the area’s history dates back to centuries earlier. Once home to the Ohlone people, this area became part of Mission San Jose de Guadalupe in the late 1700s. After the “Mission Era” ended, it became private territory. One time the governor sold the land to private owners. U.S. courts declared this sale to be illegal in 1858 and designated the land for public use. Charlie Chaplin and Gloria Swanson made films in the town of Niles near here before the film industry settled in Hollywood. Athletic types come by now to enjoy running and cycling.
6. What has 978 acres of marshland and grass-covered hills and was once home to elk and condors? What has a rich history and was once a quarry, a settler ranch and a missile site? Where is a stretch of Alameda Trail Creek located? Coyote Hills Regional Park. Visit the 2,000-year old Ohlone shellmounds site. Check out the birds and butterflies at the Nectar Garden. Visit the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the Marsh Boardwalk. Sightseers and nature lovers won’t be bored!
7. The Regional Parks Foundation provides a vital function for the park district. Environmental restoration, camping programs and low cost group transportation are among the projects that the foundation supports. Interested in staying fit? or getting fit? Take the self-paced Trails Challenge and explore what the parks have to offer!
Extra: Bob “4 Wheel Bob” Coomber. Complications from diabetes eventually caused Bob Coomber to be confined to a wheelchair. Yet, the optimistic “4 Wheel Bob” thought of the wheelchair as a challenge rather than a limitation. He’s the first person in a wheelchair to climb California’s 3rd highest peak, the 14,000 ft. White Mountain. He’s also one of 27 Americans to receive the President’s Council on Physical Fitness Community Leadership Award in 2008. What’s next for him? Plans are in the works to climb Africa’s Mt. Kilimanjaro and to distribute over 200 wheelchairs in Tanzania via the Wheelchair Foundation. Find out more about “4 Wheel Bob” here.
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