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Flood Park: Building Anew on a Cherished History

This historic property in Menlo Park, with its popular pump track, sports fields, heritage trees and demonstration garden, is on the brink of another transformative revitalization.

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By Mike Kahn and Eric Johnson

November 26, 2024—Flood Park, nestled in the suburbs of East Menlo Park, has been a haven of urban open space since its establishment in 1937. Famous for its expansive grounds and native oak and bay trees, this 21-acre park has served as a verdant retreat amidst increasing development.

As San Mateo County’s second oldest park (and the oldest east of Skyline Boulevard), Flood Park holds a cherished place in the hearts of locals. In the middle of the last century, it was famous for its 60-by-100-foot swimming pool, which had ample room for 200 swimmers at once. In the 1980s, inspired by Menlo Park resident Phyllis Cangemi, Flood Park became one of the world’s first public parks to welcome people with disabilities, adding accessible swings, restrooms, water fountains, and more.

Today, the park continues to provide a picturesque setting for family picnics, community gatherings, leisurely neighborhood strolls, and various sports activities. As demands on the park evolved over time, San Mateo County Parks’ spearheaded the ambitious Realize Flood Park 2022 Landscape Plan.

With groundbreaking that commenced in summer 2023, this project marks the start of a new era for the beloved park. The extensive redevelopment effort follows years of meticulous planning and community engagement, initiated with an assessment in 2015 that highlighted the need for updated infrastructure and the desire for additional recreational spaces.

In particular, Flood Park will be able to provide the community with a much-needed recreational resource—sports fields. There is a dearth of playing fields in the Bay Area and Flood Park is ripe to add more.

A Community-Driven Vision

Central to the revitalization project is the construction of a big, cutting-edge, nature-themed playground that forms the centerpiece of the park's transformation. Nicholas Calderon, Director of the San Mateo County Parks Department, said it will be the best such facility in the area.

"We want this to be the most outstanding playground in our park system," Calderon said, pointing out that inclusivity and accessibility were central guiding principles. He said the parks department learned via public meetings and surveys that the community wanted the playground to offer kids genuine play challenges while also continuing to serve people of all abilities.

Because of the work inspired by Phyllis Cangemi decades ago, the park’s original playground was accessible and advanced for its time. This new playground will continue to offer the community the most accessible recreation possible.

“That was our thought process up front,” Calderon said. “It’s been in the forefront of our minds the entire time. That's why the swing banks will have accessible swings, and why one of the two zip lines will have an accessible seat.”

The park's redesign was meticulously shaped through input from more than 500 community members and 200 survey responses. This extensive feedback process captured the collective aspirations of the community, culminating in a concept plan approved by the County Board of Supervisors in 2020. The plan underwent rigorous environmental review between 2017 and 2019, ensuring that the natural integrity of Flood Park would be preserved amidst modern enhancements.

Amenities Opening and Future Phases

Key amenities may be open to the public before year’s end (weather permitting), offering a glimpse of what’s to come. Visitors can look forward to enjoying newly revamped tennis and pickleball courts, a basketball court, sand volleyball courts, and multi-use fields. Enhanced pathways will weave throughout the park, providing seamless connection and encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in the tranquil surroundings.

As these facilities open, they herald the beginning of a revitalization that encapsulates the spirit of Flood Park. The bicycle pump track, created thanks to many years of local youth advocacy, was unveiled last fall and is one of the most celebrated features of the park. The track is a testament to the park's enduring dedication to providing dynamic recreational spaces for all ages and to the park’s grassroots spirit.

The eagerly anticipated playground will be a feature of a later phase, with a target opening date set for fall 2025. Named "Boulder Canyon," the playground design was chosen by the community for its natural aesthetics, blending with the park's existing landscape.

A Collective Effort

The success of the Flood Park project would not be possible without the support and collaboration of the San Mateo County Parks Foundation. As crucial partners in the revitalization efforts, the Foundation is raising awareness and working at this very moment to attract essential fundraising assistance for the playground. "The Foundation's role is pivotal," Calderon said, acknowledging its efforts to bring diverse community voices into the planning process.

One key way the Foundation has done this is by promoting the heroic efforts of Rafael Avendaño, now Executive Director of Redwood City Together. It was Avendaño who organized a group of local youngsters to spearhead the move to build a pump track in the area, and the Foundation amplified the youth voice at Board of Supervisors’ meetings and in blogs.

“The Foundation was instrumental in getting the youth voice to the table throughout this entire project,” Calderon said. “And that youth voice is the reason we're going to have multi-use sports fields, and that’s why we have a pump track, and they’re the reason the playground (design) looks the way it does.”

As Flood Park undergoes its transformation, the vision for this oasis of fun and vitality is guided by the balance between blending modern recreational amenities with the preservation of its cherished natural environment. The revitalized Flood Park will not only honor its roots as a historic urban retreat but will also open up a world of possibilities for generations to come. Whether through play, sports, or quiet reflection under sprawling trees, Flood Park will continue to serve as a vital retreat amidst urban life.

Want to help Flood Park delight kids? Make a contribution to San Mateo County Parks Foundation’s Flood Park playground fund.

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