A Walk Through Ohlone Park

Ohlone Park is a linear five block long strip of green open space in the heart of one of the oldest Neighborhoods in Berkeley, stretching from the corner of Hearst and Milvia streets on the east to the North Berkeley BART station at the intersection of Delaware and Sacramento streets on the west.

Beginning at the corner of Hearst and Milvia, which is also the terminus of the Ohlone Greenway, there is a modern big kids play area.

Next to the play area is a large concrete vent to the underground BART tunnels which has been painted by artist Jean Lamarr with a beautiful mural honoring the Native Americans for whom the park is named.

The east side of the mural facing the tot-lot depicts the Ohlone creation story. The north side illustrates the Ohlones preparing to greet the first European visitors to the Bay Area. The west face is a collage of some of the ancestors of the Ohlones dating from the turn of the century and the south face is another collage of their descendents living amongst us today.

In the same block between Milvia and Bonita, just east of the North Berkeley Senior Center, is a tot-lot that is scheduled for renovation in 1998. The Friends of Ohlone park is looking for volunteers to help with the planning of the new tot-lot.

West of the senior center and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd in the 1800 block of Hearst & Delaware is a Grassy knoll and a large playing field often used for pick-up soccer and football.

In the same block just west of the field is Berkeley’s renowned "dog park".

Continuing west to the 1700 block between grant and McGee there is another small playing field,

more play equipment originally designed for older children and also in need of an update,

a community garden,

and a larger playing field.

The next block between McGee and California begins with a second tot lot currently under renovation,

followed by a basketball court and volleyball court.

The west half of the long 1600 block is devoted to a very large playing field that is a popular place for soccer.

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At California street, both the park and Ohlone Greenway dogleg towards the North Berkeley BART Station.

The 1500 block contains more open space often used for pick-up volleyball, another nice knoll,

more open space for play,

and finally a neighborhood softball field at Sacramento Street.

The North Berkeley BART station is directly across the street from the west end of Ohlone park and the softball field. The Ohlone Greenway, a bicycle and walking path, continues for miles following the BART right-of-way all the way to El Cerrito.