Regional Park at Concord Naval Weapons Station Reaches Major Milestone Submitted by Dave Mason
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fter more than 20 years of community support and involvement, the East Bay Regional Park District has accepted 2,216 acres of former Concord Naval Weapons Station land from the U.S. Navy for a future regional park. An additional 327 acres are set to transfer to the Park District at a later date. “Conveyance of the property to the Park District is the culmination of a decades-long community effort,” said Beverly Lane, who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District board since 1994. “This is a proud moment for the Park District and shows the great power of persistence and working together with the community. “The U.S. Navy, National Park Service, City of Concord, and Save Mount Diablo have been tremendous partners in this effort,” added Lane. On July 2, 2019, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors unanimously approved accepting the land from the U.S. Navy. The board action authorizes the Park District to accept conveyance of the property and fee title ownership. Transfer of ownership to the Park District is expected to take six months. “This is a great day for the Park District and East Bay residents,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “The public will have access to great future park amenities, including a visitor center, staging areas, access points, and miles of recreational trails for hiking, biking, and nature viewing.” “Park development is expected to take several years and will require significant financial resources. There is no timetable on development,” added Doyle. “With this new land, we will have a regional park that is larger than Tilden Park, that is protected for future generations forever.” For more information: www.eastbayparks.org The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and 1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and nature learning. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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