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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

July 23 , 2008

Urban Outings: Cesar E. Chavez Park: Kite Festival

Jutting deep into the bay from the Berkeley Marina is Cesar E. Chavez Park, home of the annual Berkeley Kite Festival that takes place this weekend. This peninsula on Spinnaker Way has spectacular views from a paved perimeter trail, a wildlife sanctuary and an off-leash dog area. Benches and picnic areas with barbecue pits are plentiful.

But the park's real claim to fame is its favorable kite-flying conditions. There is something so perfect about the breezes above the park's hilltop that even preschoolers can launch kites hundreds of feet into the air. Kite traffic can get so busy on weekends that kite-string pileups are not uncommon. In 1957, Cesar Chavez Park was a landfill created back when dikes were constructed to contain municipal waste. In 1991, Berkeley sealed the landfill and opened the park, then called North Waterfront Park. In 1996, the area was renamed for Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers of America.

What you'll find: Pick up the 1.25-mile, wheelchair-accessible path around the park's perimeter at either end of Spinnaker Way. Hiking paths lead from the perimeter trail into the park's interior and to the large, rugged, off-leash dog area where your pooch can roam freely.

Circling the park on the perimeter trail are views of San Francisco's skyline to the west, along with all three bridges, the Marin Headlands, Alcatraz and Angel Island.

Rounding the northern corner of the park is a protected wildlife sanctuary. There are nesting boxes for barn owls, recruited to keep the rodent population in check. Red-winged blackbirds, finches, hawks, kestrels, meadowlarks, herons and egrets have also been observed. The egrets have been known to stray inland, hunting for mice. Round another corner for views of the East Bay hills.

The 1.5-acre Cesar Chavez Memorial Solar Calendar on a rise at the west end of the off-leash dog area is a new highlight. Framed by a stunning 360-degree view, this solar calendar not only honors Chavez, but creates a moving artistic and educational experience for visitors.

The Kite Festival: This free event takes place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. and offers visitors a chance to see world-class kite flying and "creature kites" the size of houses. That's right - houses! Free kite-flying and kite-making lessons also available. Pre-register to compete in the kite-flying championships. For more information, including parking and transportation, go to www.highlinekites.com/Berkeley_Kite_Festival.

Getting there: By bus, take the No. 9 at Shattuck and Center Street (downtown Berkeley BART station) west to the Berkeley Marina. Get off at University Avenue at the Bait Shop (225 University Ave.) and walk east on University until you get to Marina Boulevard. Turn left onto Marina Boulevard until you get to Spinnaker Way and Cesar E. Chavez Park. It's about a half-mile walk to the park.

By car, heading south on Interstate 80, take the University Avenue exit and follow the signs to the Marina. Turn left (west) at University Avenue, then right on Marina Boulevard. Marina Boulevard turns left and becomes Spinnaker Way. By car, heading north on Interstate 80, you cannot exit to the west on University toward the Marina, so when you exit at University, keep right at the fork and follow the signs for Frontage Road. Take a slight left onto the Eastshore Highway (signage is for Frontage Road), then a right at Hearst. Take Hearst to Sixth Street and turn right to University. You can now turn right (west) on University to Marina Boulevard. Turn right on Marina until it turns left and becomes Spinnaker way.

Urban Outings are presented by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's advocate for open spaces and vibrant places, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To suggest an Urban Outing, contact Gail Todd, tour leader for S.F. City Guides and author of "Lunchtime Walks in Downtown San Francisco." For more Urban Outings, as well as Greenbelt Outings, go to www.greenbelt.org/outings.

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