May 16, 2006 > Dumbarton Quarry update

by Vidya Pradhan

In our October 4, 2005 issue, TCV spoke to Mike Anderson, Assistant General Manager of Planning, Stewardship, Design and Construction for East Bay Regional Park District about plans for a public park at the Dumbarton Quarry site. Today, as commuters cross the Dumbarton Bridge, they see the monolithic structure that mines and crushes gravel at the quarry site. The eroded hillside bears no resemblance to the beautiful park planned for completion by 2008.

While the basic schedule for the park remains unchanged, details are being reconsidered. A proposed swimming lagoon may be shelved due to low water temperatures around the Bay and poor usage of swimming facilities at Quarry Lakes in Fremont. An alternative being considered is a water feature of shallow fountains for kids. The man-made lake at the site will be stocked with trout. Lake water will be naturally purified by passing through neighboring wetlands.

A nature center planned for the park will focus on the history and unique geology that made this park and lake possible. For instance, the quarry was constructed without water seepage from the bay because the entire area is solid rock. The pit descends to almost 300 feet below sea level, the lowest point in the continental United States.