After nearly a year of construction and 10 million dollars in county funding, Flood Park has partially reopened following major upgrades, including updated athletic facilities and picnic areas.
The park was originally built under James Flood, one of the wealthiest men alive during his time. Flood used it as a dedicated area to ride his horses, but it was later taken over by the government to build what is believed to have been America’s first public pool.
The 21-acre park officially reopened on Dec. 21, unveiling a new multi-use sports field; basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts; and a BMX bike track. Parkgoers are now able to visit these areas during open hours.
The park has never had a major renovation since its opening in 1936.
The project is split up into four phases, with the first phase including the construction of the bike track and multi-use sports field. The total cost of phase one is $9,843,900. Phase one has been completed, and construction has begun on phases two and three.
Among the upgrades is the revitalization of the baseball and softball fields. “There was no real investment and park facility renovations, so as a result, the baseball field has been unused for about 10 years,” Parks Department Communications Officer Carla Schoof said.
Although the renovations have a hefty price tag, county officials emphasize that they are long overdue. After community members raised funds to make improvements, inspectors discovered pipes in poor condition that needed replacement, requiring funds from the county.
“I think that the county got excited about the passion of the community for the park, and so it started a lot of dialogue and community outreach to get input about how we envision the future of the park,” Kristen Cox, an advocate for the renovation, said.
“It spun into several different community meetings where the county had different vision boards, and they heard from the community about what their hopes and dreams for the park were, and they put together the master plan,” Cox continued.
San Mateo County heard from a total of over 500 meeting participants and 200 survey responses.
“It’s been around since my dad was a child. We go there all the time,” Encinal fifth grader Gavin Clark said.
“We came together to make this park a more vibrant jewel of the community and ensure that it stays open for people to enjoy it for a long time,” Cox said.
