OAKLAND, Calif. — Sparkling blue skies and green hills were the backdrop for the Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project grand opening and ribbon-cutting event on Saturday, Mar. 7, at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont. The newly opened section of the park includes amenities such as new parking, picnic sites, electric vehicle charging stations, restrooms, drinking water, trails, wildlife observation decks, and interpretive displays that tell the story of the land — its nature, its history, and its rich cultural significance.
“Protecting this area as parkland was a project three decades in the making, and its completion represents vision, persistence, partnership, and a deep care for this land,” said acting General Manager Max Korten during the opening ceremony.
The long-awaited public opening of former ranch land increases the park’s size by approximately 25 percent. The project plan thoughtfully balanced habitat restoration, public access, urban agriculture, and cultural heritage.
“The design reflects the Park District’s commitment to protecting sensitive ecosystems while welcoming the community to experience and appreciate them,” noted Park District Board President Olivia Sanwong.
Locally known as Patterson Ranch, the acreage was generously donated to the Regional Parks Foundation in 2014 by descendants of the Patterson family, major agricultural landowners in the southeast region of the Bay Area dating back to the 1850s, whose holdings included what is now Ardenwood Historic Farm. The addition to Coyote Hills Regional Park represents one of the most significant land contributions supporting public access to nature in the Park District’s 92-year history.
Of the 296 acres of donated land, 170 acres are on their way to returning to their natural state as a thriving willow thicket ecosystem with willow marsh, oak savanna, and seasonal wetland habitat. The remaining acres serve as heritage agricultural and flood control land.
The project was designed to be resilient to climate change, with adaptive features and educational elements that demonstrate how the Park District can steward shoreline landscapes in ways that protect wildlife, safeguard public access, and prepare for the challenges ahead.
During the planning process, the Park District engaged in Tribal consultation and extensive public and stakeholder outreach process to ensure community input and values were reflected in the project’s vision.
“On this day, we’re seeing a new way forward with the East Bay Regional Parks, with increased collaboration and increased partnership,” said Ohlone Indian Tribe President Vincent Medina. “This is something to celebrate and points to a new way forward with us Ohlones having a direct voice within the Park District, creating new policy, and working together as allies and friends.”
The Park District is deeply grateful for the generous support provided by the following funders whose contributions were vital to making this project a reality, both through acquisition and construction:
- The California Natural Resources Agency and California voters ($800,000 through Prop 68 passed in 2018)
- Environmental Protection Agency ($2 million)
- The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority and Bay Area voters ($4 million from Measure AA passed in 2016)
- The US Fish and Wildlife Service and California State Coastal Conservancy ($1 million)
- East Bay Regional Park District voters ($11.4 million from Measure AA passed in 1998 and Measure WW passed in 2008).
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
