Strawberry Creek Park

As a teacher who brings students to this park daily I can say this park has really come to life over the last year. Repairs have been made across the board to fences, the playground got brand new sand and much of the shrubbery got a nice update. The fact that this park has everything I need to teach (basketball courts, tennis court, soccer court and a volleyball court). There is lots of green space to take your dog or bring the kids to play.

For those of you not acquainted with this relatively unknown park in Berkeley, it is a piece of residential neighborhood green that was once the Santa Fe Railroad freight yard. Its name comes from the fact that the Strawberry Creek is day-​lighted here when it was rerouted back on its original course.
There are large pieces of green for sunbathing, for picnicking, and for running around with your dogs. I have seen birthday parties being hosted by the picnic tables and groups of families swarming here on a sunny day. For those of you who do not like the sun, the beautiful groves provide shade and screening from the traffic nearby. It is, after all, right in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
Despite its location, there are quite a few businesses and public institutions nearby: the Berkeley Youth Alternative, The Phoenix Pastificio, Cook Lia, and Innersport Chiropractic. I have never been here at night, but the constant stream of traffic has always had me feeling safe during the day. Make no mistake though, this is not some overcrowded or overrun park. Strands of trees separate the lawns physically, audibly, and visually into rooms that give users a feeling of being alone but not cramped into little spaces.
The only thing that has me from giving it 5 stars is its lack of maintenance. I know that is a part of its charm, and I support it being a low-​maintenance park, but a certain lack of care to the lawns makes it hard to enjoy sunbathing on the grass! Regardless, this is a great place for just about any activity!

Located in front of Café Zeste (
) This small park has a big enough flat grass field to play football, have a picnic, or walk the dog. There is some street parking but otherwise a small plain park.

If it wasn’t for Strawberry Creek Park, I’d have nowhere vaguely nature-​ish to go in my neighborhood. This place is more than just a flat expanse of grass. It’s small, but it has a lovely creek and a strand of trees. There is a little playground and a wide space for kids and dogs to run, and picnic tables by the creek. There are usually a few parents with small kids, a couple people lying in the grass on their lunch break, people walking their dogs, etc. Nearby are a few businesses and a lunchtime café, some apartments, and the garden of a school or youth center or something. This is not far from the Andronico’s on University.
Never been there at night, but it’s a nice place on a sunny day.