Reimagine Creek Park Project

creekside_header_black
creek park Plan Rendering with text from 11 09 21

September 2023 Update: 
Reimagine Creek Park - 60% Design Presentation

There are a number of opportunities to view and add input to the 60% Design for the Reimagine Creek Park project. Community engagement has been a hallmark of this project, despite the slowdowns due to Covid and the County project.  For more information, visit the Reimagine Creek Park project page on the Town website

Monday, September 11: 6:30pm, Council Chambers & Zoom - Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, September 15: 5:30-8:30pm - Live on the Avenue Community Information Table (in front of Town Hall)
Tuesday, September 26: 7:00pm, Council Chambers & Zoom - Town Council Meeting - staff presentation

View the Presentation: 60% Design Review Powerpoint


 San Anselmo’s Creek Park is Undergoing a Transformation

 

When Marin County initiated the San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction Project (SAFRR) in 2010, its purpose was to mitigate barriers that cause San Anselmo Creek to overflow its banks and flood our downtown.  The project’s main focus is the demolition of the structures that block the flow of the creek during heavy rains.

 

Removing buildings on San Anselmo Avenue has opened up a previously hidden Town jewel, Creek Park. SAFRR became an opportunity to piggyback on the County’s construction and Reimagine what Creek Park can be for San Anselmo.


Once the county flood work is complete, San Anselmo will have a major cavity in the center of Town. This will be San Anselmo’s chance to fill that cavity with a public asset that will be transformative to the character, sociology and attractiveness of our Town.

The Vision & 
A Design Competition

In February 2019, the Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee (CAC) was officially designated by Town Council to hold public meetings. They worked with the Town to create and conduct a comprehensive community survey with over 500 responses, and utilized that feedback to create a design competition to reimagine Creek Park. 

  • The design competition (launched in March 2019) attracted renowned landscape architecture practices who produced stunning design concepts. 
  • In June 2019, the Town Council selected RHAA’s concept, deeming it a transformative vision for this gem in the heart of our downtown.

The Pandemic and the Plaza

While the pandemic slowed the process, it gave the Town the opportunity to work with the County to create the temporary Creek Plaza on the foundation (Building Bridge #2) of the former buildings. The public space was a resounding success and has provided a proof of concept for more gathering space in Creek Park and for the Reimagination plans after the County has completed their work in the Creek.

REimagine Creek Park kiosk

Update: Why is Creek Park Plaza closed?

On Thursday, September 15, 2022, the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District), owners of building and the bridge (BB #2) at 632-636 San Anselmo Avenue, locally known as the Creek Park Plaza, terminated the lease between the Town and the County for public use of the building bridge effective Friday, September 16, 2022. The District has deemed the building bridge unsafe for public use due to reports they have received showing structural deficiencies within the foundation.  For more information and answers to Frequently Asked Questions - please click HERE

The ReImagine Timeline

The complexity of the flood mitigation work and Reimagining Creek Park requires a flexible schedule. Covid-19 presented delays. State infrastructure funding issues and County downstream flood rise issues have also postponed the replacement of the Winship Park bridge in Ross among other things, which may have to precede the creek modifications in San Anselmo. Current projections call for the restoration and reimagining construction to occur in Fall 2024 after the County completes their work.

Community Engagement

Community engagement has been a hallmark of the Reimagine Creek Park process. We appreciate all of the community input at all our public workshops and meetings.

Community Surveys:

Winter 2019 - Receiving over 500 responses from a broad cross-section of the community. The survey contained 22 questions & provided various opportunities for open feedback or questions on their current use of San Anselmo’s Creek Park, downtown visits, & improvements they’d most like to see in a re-imagined space.  

Summer 2021 - Launched another community survey and collected over 640 responses. The survey contained 8 questions & provided various opportunities for feedback, ranking and open-ended questions. We kept the survey open for over 60 days to give people ample time to participate. When asked to rank the most important features of Creek Park: the variety of seating areas got the top response, followed by tables, benches the redwood grove and the grassy areas.

Timeline, Community Information & Workshops for Concept Development:

  • July 2019: The CAC had an information table about the project at Beatles Night in the Park (attended by 1000+ community members in Creek Park)
  • September 2019: CAC had an information booth at the San Anselmo Country Fair Day (adjacent to the Park, on the closed Avenue) - event attended by 1000+ community members
  • March 2020 Covid Pandemic & shutdown
  • June 14, 2020: Ribbon cutting ceremony of the temporary Creek Park plaza space - speeches highlighting the project - socially distanced and masked, the community celebrates
  • March 30, 2021 - Information Kiosk installed in temporary Creek Plaza 
  • September 11, 2021 - Community Open House #1 in the park; public input/feedback for 30% concept, Rhaa representatives, CAC members, Town staff, and Town Council members present.
  • October 27, 2021: Community Open House #2 hybrid format - held in Town Council Chambers and on Zoom simultaneously. Public input/feedback for 60% concept. Rhaa representatives presented. CAC members, Town staff, and Town Council members also present. (Note: originally scheduled to held in the park on October 23; but postponed and moved due to huge rain event that weekend)
  • November 12, 2021: Community Input/Feedback Opportunity #3: online concept information and survey for feedback on concept.
  • November 23, 2021: Presentation and approval of final concept phase (30% drawings) by Town Council at November 23 meeting. Plans were being made for a Fall 2022 project start on the heels o the SAFRR project work.
  • February 16, 2022: San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction (SAFRR) project extended the timeline to 2023 to provide time to implement flood mitigation measures to prevent any rise in water surface levels to downstream private properties.
  • September 16, 2022; Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District closed Building Bridge #2 (known as the temporary plaza) to public use (see box above for more details)

What is the Budget for the Reimagine Creek Park Project? Is it funded through tax dollars?

This project will be revenue-neutral for the Town of San Anselmo. Design costs have been secured by private donations. The County project was already planning to rebuild the creek banks that will be affected during the demolition and creek work. The Town anticipates working with the County to use SAFRR project funds earmarked for recreation facilities for the reconstruction of the park area destroyed during the building demolition staging. All construction costs above this funding, as well as a maintenance endowment fund, will be raised through private donations and grants from the community. There will not be a parcel tax associated with the Creekside Commons project.

News, Updates & Past Meetings

Past Meetings:

Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee meeting in Creek Park for an update on the project:

Wednesday, February 8. 2023 - 2:00pm
Link to Agenda Packet Page:

Special Town Council meeting on Zoom to discuss the County's closure of Creek Park Plaza:

Wednesday, September 21, 2022 - 7:00 pm
Link to Agenda Packet Page: https://sananselmo-ca.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee Meeting on Zoom for an update on the project:

Monday, September 26, 2022 – 6:00 PM

Update: Why is Creek Park Plaza closed?:

On Thursday, September 15, 2022, the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District), owners of building and the bridge (BB #2) at 632-636 San Anselmo Avenue, locally known as the Creek Park Plaza, terminated the lease between the Town and the County for public use of the building bridge effective Friday, September 16, 2022. The District has deemed the building bridge unsafe for public use due to reports they have received showing structural deficiencies within the foundation.  For more information and answers go to Frequently Asked Questions on the Building Bridge #2 /Creek Park Plaza Updates page.

  The Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee (RCP CAC) Meetings and Information: