Castro Valley park celebrates 50 years
June 9, 2016
If you grew up in the East Bay, chances are you’ve been to Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley, whether it was for a birthday party, a fishing excursion, a boat ride or just a walk on the trail.
On Saturday the park celebrated its fiftieth year in existence, highlighted by fishing derbies, one for kids and one for ages 16 and older, that rewarded the biggest catches of the day.
The park offered free admission for its golden anniversary celebration which included fishing clinics, demonstrations, paddle boat races, lake tours, nature hikes, food and more.
The East Bay Regional Park District, founded in 1934, is responsible for all public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which includes Lake Chabot, according to EBRPD. The system encompasses over 120,000 acres of land that includes 65 regional parks, 29 trails and serves 25 million visitors every year. According to the EBRPD, their primary goal is to “protect and preserve natural cultural resources,” like Lake Chabot.
“I have been coming here for 30 years,” attendee Paul Chisholm said. “I walk, fish and even ride the boats sometimes. It is so peaceful out here. It’s like a meditation session for me when I come out here. I let it all go and zone out.”
This was a day for people to appreciate the natural resources of the lake nestled between mountains on all sides.
Earlier this year the EBRPD won awards from the California Parks & Recreation Society for their “excellence in youth development” and a program called “Teen Eco Action,” which aimed to get teens involved in environmental issues.
