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Parks and Recreation

New Park at Linden Avenue & Pine Avenue

We want to hear from you!

Take the survey!
Your feedback will help determine the preferred features and arrangement.

¡TOME LA ENCUESTA!
Sus comentarios ayudarán a determinar las características y el tipo de diseño preferido.

Paper surveys are also available at the Grand Library front desk (306 Walnut Ave.) and Library Park Rec Center (901 Civic Campus Way).

Project Overview

The park at Linden Avenue & Pine Avenue will provide a brand new public space for South City residents to gather, connect, and play. The future park’s design will be determined based on what we hear from the community. The design process will consider temporary, partial or full closure of Pine Avenue to create a connected park space.

Site History

The site's previous use as an automotive repair shop included underground oil and gas tanks. After that closed, the tanks and surrounding contaminated soil were hauled off site and groundwater was routinely tested until the County confirmed it met low-risk requirements. To confirm it was safe to use a park, an environmental consultant was hired to collect soil samples between the surface and 10 feet below grade. No petroleum hydrocarbons were detected and lead concentrations were below environmental screening levels for residential use. Based on the State’s Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Case Closure Policy, the soil meets the criteria for direct contact and outdoor air exposure and the site can be used as a park.

1940s to early 2000s - Volonte Automotive was a repair shop at 616 Linden Avenue from the 1940s to early 2000s
1993 - Gasoline and waste oil underground storage tanks were removed in 1993, and an environmental case was opened and overseen by San Mateo County Groundwater Protection Program
1993 to 2001- 440 tons of contaminated soil were removed from the property and groundwater samples were collected routinely
2001 - San Mateo County closed the case under Regional Water Board guidance for low risk fuel sites in 2001 as it was deemed safe for public use
2023 - Soil testing in June 2023 confirmed it is safe to use the property for a park (based on State policy for former gasoline stations)

Project Fact Sheets (English/Spanish)(PDF, 608KB)

Environmental Summary Report 616 and 700 Linden Avenue - 2024(PDF, 3MB)

Project Budget

The total project budget for design and construction is $5.5 million.

Proposed Schedule

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Concert in the Park - Saturday, September 21st
Merchants' Round Table #2 - Friday, September 27th
Centennial Way Park South Ribbon Cutting - Sunday, September 29th

Alternative Park Designs Flyer (English/Spanish)(PDF, 950KB)

Project Updates

Open House Event 2 - 8/24/24

On Saturday, August 24th, South San Francisco staff and the design team hosted an Open House from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at the future park site (700 Linden Ave). Approximately60 peoplevisited the event tents, where staff gave an overview of the concepts, answered questions, and recorded comments. Participants were also encouraged to take a bilingual online survey either on their own phones or on the ipads provided with staff assistance.

Two people looking at posterboards People at table under tent

People in front of posterboards under tent Group of people giving feedback

Two people looking at posterboards Three people looking at a tablet

three people sitting at a table

Movie in the Park - Pop-Up Event - 8/16/24

On Friday, August 16th, City staff and the design team hosted a Pop-Up station at South San Francisco's Movie Night in the Park, held at Martin Elementary School from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. About 25 people evaluated the two design concepts, providing valuable feedback to help guide the final design.

People standing talking outside Group of people looking at posters on fence

People looking at paper on table Children looking at posters on fence

National Night Out Tabling Event - 8/6/24

On Tuesday, August 6th, South San Francisco staff and the design team hosted a table at National Night Out at the Paradise Valley Recreation Center. About 20 participants stopped by to review community input from the project's Visioning Phase and learn about upcoming public events to weigh in on two design alternatives. Firefighters, police officers, and waste management staff were among the attendees, and shared their ideas on several possible street configurations.

Two people stand and look at posterboards Man and three officers look at posterboards

Man talking to people in front of poster displays Two people listening to person speak in front of posterboards

Visioning Phase Summary - 7/24/24

Thank you to all who participated in the Open House + Listening Session, Pop-Up Event, Merchants' Round Table and provided feedback during the Visioning Phase for the new park at Linden and Pine. A summary of these engagement activities and feedback gathered is available below. The next phase of engagement and design will kick off in early August and run through September.

Visioning Phase Summary(PDF, 6MB)

Merchants' Round Table - 5/30/24

May 30th, 2024, Thursday | 2:00 – 3:00pm | Amoura Restaurant, 713 Linden Ave., SSF

City staff and the design team held a focus group session with the neighboring business owners at Amoura’s restaurant, across the street from the new park. The discussion centered on business-specific topics such as parking, loading, safety, activation and customer experience. The group also looked at examples showing how other parks have supported surrounding businesses, including drawing in more daily customers and providing outdoor seating options. The design team will integrate what was learned into the upcoming park concepts to create a win-win for both neighbors and businesses.

Linden Park Merchants' Roundtable flyer

Visioning Pop-Up - 5/1/24

Visioning Pop-Up | 700 Linden Ave | Wednesday, May 1, 2024

On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the City of South San Francisco sponsored an Open House & Listening Session to create the vision for a new park at the intersection of Linden Ave. and Pine Ave. The event was held in the parking lot at 616 Linden Ave., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants had the opportunity to describe their current and past activities at the site and comment on potential preferences for the new park. Along with speaking directly with City and design representatives, participants used various methods to share their ideas and priorities. Preliminary results show a preference for community gathering and play spaces.

Missed it? Join us at the next public Visioning Event - Wednesday, May 1st from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - at the new park location, 700 Linden Ave.

Next Steps: After the public Visioning events, several design alternatives will be developed and shared with the public for additional input in June and July. Your feedback will help guide the final concept plan for the new park. Sign up to receive project updates to be notified of the next events for input.

Open House - 4/13/24

Linden Park Open House flyer English

Linden Park Open House flyer Spanish

Additional Information

Get Updates

FAQs

What is the design process?

The three key phases to community engagement during the design phase are:

Phase 1: Visioning: March - May
Phase 2: Alternatives Designs: June - July
Phase 3: Final Concept: September - October

How can people share ideas and inform the design?

Engagement activities will include Open Houses, Pop-Up Events, Stakeholder Interviews, Focus Group Meetings, and Surveys. Be sure to sign up for the mailing list to receive notices about future outreach opportunities.

How can I stay informed about the design?

The project webpage will include latest designs, upcoming engagement opportunities, and past meeting materials. Be sure to sign up for the mailing list to receive notices about future outreach opportunities.

How can I learn about engagement opportunities?

How are you reaching out to the community?

Regular email newsletters, direct mailers, hand delivered flyers, social media, word of mouth with community members.

Is the site contaminated?

Gasoline and waste oil underground storage tanks were removed in 1993, and an environmental case was opened and overseen by San Mateo County Groundwater Protection Program. Between 1993 and 2001, 440 tons of contaminated soil were removed from the property and groundwater samples were collected routinely. Extensive soil testing was completed in June 2023 and again in February 2024. In accordance with state and county health department policy for former gasoline station sites, testing confirmed the site is safe for use as a park.

Lead soil was identified in a small portion of the 616 Linden Ave parcel. While deemed safe for use as a park with the soil capped on-site, the project will voluntarily remove the soil as part of the park construction project.

Environmental Summary Report 616 and 700 Linden Avenue - 2024(PDF, 3MB)

Will there be on-site parking?

Design alternatives will explore opportunities to create street and on-site parking.

Will Pine Ave. be closed as part of this project?

Circulation options are being explored, some of which include closing Pine Ave to through traffic. All options, if considered, will include circulation for emergency vehicles, trash pick up, and neighborhood egress.

Will there be a restroom facility at the park?

Generally, neighborhood parks do not have public restrooms.

How will the park be maintained?

The City is committed to providing regular maintenance of the park space, including plantings, irrigation, lighting and general cleaning.

How is the project funded?

The project is funded through a combination of State Grants, Park Impact Fees and developer contributions.