Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline - Oakland

photo CC BY-NC 2.0 by rocor

The Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline is a lovely 741 acre regional park leased by the East Bay Regional Park District from the Port of Oakland. The purpose of the park is to protect what remains of the Oakland Estuary marshland; the most prominent feature is Arrowhead Marsh. The park was originally called the San Leandro Bay Regional Shoreline when it opened in 1980.

Located near the Oakland Airport on the edge of San Leandro Bay, within the park is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Grove and the Tidewater Boating Center. Garretson Point is named in honor of the late Fred Garretson, a Tribune reporter whose stories inspired successful efforts at bayland preservation.

Migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway stop to rest at the 50 acre Arrowhead Marsh, that is a part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

Some people go here to view helicopters.

The Duplex Cone sculpture by artist Roger Berry traces the paths of the summer sun and winter solstice.

All dogs visiting the park must be on their leashes at all times.

In 2015 the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline was awarded the Best Place for Family Bike Rides by the East Bay Express.

You can read about the ongoing restoration work going on at the park and the typical birds seen there in this Golden Gate Audubon blog. (via archive.org)

photo CC BY-NC 2.0 by rocor photo by mk30 photo CC BY-NC 2.0 by rocor

Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline (source: East Bay Regional Park District)

History

Discussions about having a park around San Leandro Bay started in 1971. In1972, Y. Chet Soda of the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners pushed for it at a luncheon. The Port of Oakland was willing to lease the land to the park district for a nominal fee. But there were several problems to be dealt with, including pollution. In addition to things like mercury and lead in the sediment, untreated sewage would sometimes flow into the bay via the Elmhurst channel during heavy rainfall, and runoff from the airport, roads, and various creeks had petroleum waste. Another problem was the envisioned right-of-way for the walking and biking trail had several gaps because other entities owned the land, including PG&E, EBMUD, and private owners. Near the end of 1973, a little progress had been made. But the Port of Oakland still wanted to reserve the right to build a bridge, tube, or tunnel across San Leandro Bay. ^1,2

In 1974, the Port of Oakland wanted to build another container handling facility in the port. The plans didn't include any public access or recreational facilities, which were normally required to get approval from the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). They proposed adding Doolittle Pond, an area separated from San Leandro Bay by a dike, into the proposed plan for the park, as a replacement. ³

The possibility of a bridge was still holding things up in 1975. Someone snuck a rider in to AB-1098 authorizing a freeway. The proposed freeway would follow 66th Avenue, cross over San Leandro Bay just north of Arrowhead Marsh, and touch down at the north end of Doolittle Drive at the Alameda border. The BCDC objected, and asked the state legislature to repeal the offending phrase. George Miller, the author of the bill, said the rider was suggested to him by Don Perata, and Perata said it was proposed to him by two Alameda city council members. ^4,5

Finally, in 1976, the park district approved a lease agreement with the Port of Oakland. The lease involved "565 acres at San Leandro Bay comprised of 424 acres of water and tidal flats; 77 acres of marsh lands that include Arrowhead Marsh and Doolittle Pond; 64 acres of land strung along San Leandro Bay south of 66th Avenue that include parcels west of Doolittle Drive and wrapped around the Airport Channel." The plans included "a six-mile waterside trail; three fishing docks, a launching ramp and marina, a bird observation tower and a 250-car parking lot." The park district had the right to terminate the lease if a bridge or causeway was built across the bay, "rendering the premises unsuitable for park and recreation purposes." ⁶

The first contract for developing facilities in the park was awarded in December 1977. Although work was already underway, they held a groundbreaking ceremony in May 1978. Finally, in May 1980, the park was dedicated. James A. Joseph, the Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, was the featured speaker. ⁷ In December 1981, there was another dedication following the completion of the facilities around Arrowhead Marsh. Edwin Meese III, then counselor to president Ronald Reagan, was the featured speaker. ⁸

The park was renamed for Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1992 at the urging of mayor Elihu Harris and local religious leaders. ⁹