Directions to Aquatic Park
Aquatic Park North
From Interstate 80 (either direction), take the University exit, turn right on Sixth St and right on Bancroft. Park anywhere along Bolivar Drive. We will meet at the intersection of Bancroft and Bolivar.
Aquatic Park South
The shortest way is a bit less intuitive. All of this happens very quickly: From Interstate 80 (either direction), take the Ashby exit. Turn right soon after on Seventh St, then right on Folger Ave. Folger veers left and turns into Hollis St. Make a right on 67th St and cross the train tracks. Make a right on Shellmound. Shellmound turns into Bay St, which turns into Bolivar Drive. Follow Bolivar Dr into the Aquatic Park South parking lot.
Description
Aquatic Park in general is a park that offers a central location with water views that aren’t terribly complicated to paint. There is plenty of shade and in the summer, an algae bloom brings unnatural hues that make everything more exciting. The northern part of the park has less shade but more parking . The southern part of the park is a gay cruising spot, so parking is limited (arrive early).
History
70 acres surround an artificial lagoon. This is Aquatic Park’s main feature, created in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. In the 1990s the many sport (rowing, paddling, frisbee, etc) clubs that use the park were in conflict about its use. The conflict was mediated and they each have assigned practice days now. The city of Berkeley is in charge of cleaning the algae blooms, conducting coastal clean-ups, planting California native plants and removing “dens” in the underbrush. During winter, the City uses it to hold floodwater overflow. They recognize that the floodwater “poses an environmental hazard for the park,” but that it would be economically impractical “to implement the $30-40 million pumping system needed to alleviate the problem.”
