Ocean View Park

Ocean View Park
900 Buchanan St.
Neighborhood Park
3.61 acres
Rent picnic areas
Map

About the Park
Ocean View Park is the only developed park in the western part of Albany (i.e. west of San Pablo Ave., the major commercial artery that runs through several East Bay cities, including Albany). The park is located near the I-80 and I-580 freeway interchange. The park entrance is from Buchanan Street, a busy 4-lane street that leads from the freeway to San Pablo Avenue. Ocean View is partly owned by the Albany School District and partly by the City of Albany and encompasses sports fields, a redwood grove and picnic facilities, and the City’s after-school program, the Friendship Club.

The park recently underwent major renovations that upgraded the sports field and lighting, resurfaced the tennis courts, added a children’s play structure, path lighting, new picnic areas, restroom facilities and a community garden.

The Albany Art Committee headed an Art in the Park Project that added the new entry sign/sculpture, “Wave Rose”. There are picnic areas with BBQs that can be reserved through the Recreation Department. Sport fields are used by the Recreation Department and rented by local youth leagues.

History
Ocean View Park sits on land originally occupied seasonally by hunter-gatherer Indian Tribes referred to generally as the Ohlone (the specific group in this area was probably the Huchiun). This property was subsequently owned by the Gill Family, which operated a rose nursery. The U.S. Department of Agriculture/Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, which performs ecological and social science research on ecosystems have occupied the immediately adjacent property to the west since 1926. Ocean View was the original name of the City of Albany.