Terra Linda Park & Community Center Enhancement Plan
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About the Project
The Terra Linda Community Park is located at 670 Del Ganado Road in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael, CA. The 2.9-acre site includes a community center, playground, basketball court, lawn and pathways, parking, and an outdoor pool complex. The Terra Linda Park and Community Center Enhancement Plan will identify opportunities to enhance recreation amenities at the site to accommodate future growth in the area and re-imagine these facilities to better serve the City of San Rafael.
In 2021 and 2022, the City of San Rafael underwent a comprehensive Citywide Park and Recreation Master Plan (CPRMP) process. That process included an assessment of the existing parks and recreation facilities, an evaluation of the community’s recreational needs, and the development of a prioritized set of recommendations. One of the top priorities of the CPRMP was the development of a specific plan for the Terra Linda Park and Community Center.
Given current and expected trends in population growth, particularly in North San Rafael, the City is exploring opportunities to increase recreational capacity to meet potential growing demand. The Enhancement Plan will focus on the park and community center, evaluating both opportunities to improve the existing infrastructure and to incorporate additional recreational capacity at the site.
Recognizing the importance of the Terra Linda aquatics program, the Enhancement Plan will include the programmatic elements of the pool complex and its impact on the rest of the site. However, the Enhancement Plan will not be evaluating changes to the pool infrastructure.
Comments and questions about this project can be directed to: recreation@cityofsanrafael.org. Subscribe to the project email list by filling out the form at the bottom of this page! You can also follow us on social media for news about this project and other activities and programs offered by the City of San Rafael:
Community Engagement
Round 1 Community Outreach
The first round of community outreach for this project was conducted in June and July 2024, and we received excellent feedback! Over 400 community members participated in outreach activities such as pop-up events, community meetings, and a survey.
According to participants, Terra Linda Park and Community Center are valued public resources that would benefit from a variety of enhancements to encourage social gathering, learning, and play. Play areas, picnic areas, natural features, and recreation activities/programs are all key aspects of the site to be upgraded or expanded. The community envisions a park and community center that are flexible, comfortable, and safe while encouraging play, social gathering, and appreciation for nature.
Read a summary of Round 1 outreach results.
Round 2 Community Outreach
Round 2 of community outreach is now complete! We heard from more than 400 community members during our virtual and in-person outreach activities in September and October 2024. Participants were excited about the site concepts and proposed enhancements. Based on feedback collected, the community envisions Terra Linda Park and Community Center as a vibrant hub for creativity, socializing, learning, and play that serves all ages. The community supported a modern, forward-looking site design with a cohesive and flexible arrangement of amenities.
The preferred design option, Concept C, included a tree-lined entry plaza, a large gathering space, an expanded play area and lawn, a half basketball court, and a two-story community center featuring arts, fitness, meeting, and library areas. However, many participants noted that their ideal design would combine features from Concepts B and C.
The next step in the process is to use Round 2 community feedback to create a preferred concept design for the Terra Linda Park and Community Center Enhancement Plan. Public review of the preferred design will begin in early 2025. Stay tuned for more updates on our progress with this exciting project! And thank you to all the community participants!
Read a summary of Round 2 Outreach results.
Process
The project is a multi-step planning process implemented to create a comprehensive plan that is successful and realistic while also ensuring the recreational needs of the community are met. This includes a needs assessment to understand existing conditions and areas for improvements, public outreach to hear from the community about preferences, design options to identify priorities, cost estimates to plan for implementation and construction, and approval of the final plan by City Council.
Key Project Milestones
- Existing conditions analysis
- Community outreach and public engagement
- Preliminary site designs
- Draft Enhancement Plan
- Final Enhancement Plan
The final product for this project will be a park-specific planning document to guide the City in making decisions about future enhancements for Terra Linda Park and Community Center. The Enhancement Plan will include:
- an overview of San Rafael and the current context of the site;
- an assessment of the existing conditions of the site;
- a summary of community engagement efforts and input;
- a conceptual design and set of recommendations to guide future designers and developers; and
- an implementation and funding plan to guide the City in constructing the improvements.
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