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Pleasanton took possession of the 500-acre Bernal property parcel in 2007 after a developer’s plans stalled.
The original design elements considered for the Bernal property development included sports fields, a large uncluttered park with circulation paths and ponds, and commercial/office properties along the 680 freeway border. The park was touted as being a future crown jewel “Central Park” for the city which would connect to downtown.
The park portion today is a largely undeveloped open space area with pathways. The native grasses and weeds which are briefly green during late winter are dead and brown from May to January. There is little or no shade to walk through as the weather warms. There are no lawns to picnic, and the unfilled ponds dry up.
Frankly, the park becomes a somewhat unattractive, hot abandoned area for nine months of the year. To drive by almost any day of the week and see the park empty is both frustrating and disappointing given the original mission statement.
While the idea to leave the area largely undeveloped to reflect our city legacy is admirable, we already have the Pleasanton Ridge, Sunol Wilderness and a trail which starts at Cubby dog park off Bernal winding through a scenic area along a creek providing a beautiful natural setting.
If the Bernal Park is meant to show a California native environment, mowing the dead weeds down to the ground doesn’t reflect this. I’m sure it was done for fire abatement, but then at this point it’s no longer a native setting.
How can we improve this prized asset? On the ambitious side, we can use Golden Gate Park as a model which is a beautiful scenic area with some lawns and greenery, exhibits and displays, and art. This would require bringing a reclaimed water line down from our waste processing plant to provide life for the garden and lawn areas.
On a more modest scale we could carve out 2 or 3 acres of lawn somewhere in the middle for a shaded area where people can enjoy a picnic.
If it’s not possible to blend natural and developed environments together, then let’s convert part of the land (or all) to something the community will actually enjoy and use – a miniature golf course, a science exploratorium, a community arts or music center with a concert bowl, etc.
We should get a better return on this prized possession. Let’s revisit Bernal Park and consider better outcomes.
Editor’s note: Peter Deutschman is a 35-year resident of Pleasanton with two daughters who both attended Foothill High School. He recently retired as a Silicon Valley sales and marketing executive.
