An eyesore in our city sits in a prominent area in San Ramon, unused and abandoned, and ultimately a waste of usable space.
The empty lot in between San Ramon’s City Center and Central Park lot takes up the same amount of space equivalent to a shopping mall.
But rather than serving any purpose to our city and its people, the dirt lot just sits there and has been sitting there for years, with a metal fence being its only inhabitant.
It would be no surprise to see this area being transformed into something San Ramon has an abundance of: houses or some type of shopping area. In November of 2018, San Ramon’s City Center made its debut with more restaurants to offer.
Now, the city is seeing The Marketplace Shopping Center across from Central Park transform the once valuable Nob Hill Foods into an apartment complex.
Rather than building yet another series of stores or apartments as we are so used to seeing in this city, this empty space should be transformed into an extension of San Ramon’s beloved Central Park, the epicenter of recreational opportunities.
Known for its vast sports fields, intricate play-sets, and various concerts and special events, Central Park is without a doubt a vital part of our city’s culture that allows residents to engage in an active lifestyle and participate in city hosted events, such as the annual Art and Wind Festival.
While it could be said the 43-acre park is more than enough to host San Ramon’s many events, the city could still greatly benefit from more park space for residents to enjoy.
Youth programs such as summer camps and sporting events could easily utilize the extra space. Plus, offering a larger space should encourage these programs to be expanded in the future.
Expanding Central Park also promotes environmental advantages that come from the growing public parks. Air wellness will be increased from a greener space and ensures that yet another part of San Ramon won’t be another contributor to city air pollution.
It’s become too common for San Ramon residents to experience our city becoming more and more populated with buildings and homes.
It’s time for the most positive communal impact that our city can offer, and that is the opportunity to access a larger and better Central Park.