Ashland Zocalo

In the Bay Area in California, the Ashland neighborhood is a melting pot of cultures. Nearly 40 percent of community members were born outside of the United States, infusing each street corner with diversity from around the world. Between 2000 and 2017, each of Ashland’s two largest communities—Latin American and Asian—increased in population by nearly 70 percent.

Though rich in culture, Ashland residents have long been underserved, especially compared to other Bay Area suburbs. The neighborhood is wedged between the bustling Highway 580 and Interstate 238, leaving residents to suffer from car pollution and poverty with little access to green spaces that are essential for community wellness.

With our partners at the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (H.A.R.D.), Trust for Public Land worked with the local community to build a green space that meets the needs of the entire neighborhood. We hosted multiple community sessions to elicit feedback on what residents wanted to see in their local park. Now, those ideas have come to life with Ashland Zocalo Park.

Ashland Zocalo, which translates from Spanish to mean public square or plaza, especially in the center of a community, is now a space that’s inviting, inclusive, and enhances the physical and mental wellbeing of all who visit. It reflects the vibrancy of the neighborhood with a new lawn, playground, fitness zone, picnic and BBQ areas, walking loop, sports court, and community plaza for pop-up markets, concerts, and more. Most of all, it connects 11,000 residents within a 10-minute walk to the benefits of awesome green space and creates a sense of place as new residents continue to move to the neighborhood—now and for generations of Ashland residents to come.