Click on the following pictures to see a larger version.
Upon arriving at the park,
the visitor is greeted by an expanse of neatly manicured grass interrupted
by a series of concrete walkways.
Here and there throughout the
park are picnic tables with enough space between them to afford a small
group a sense of privacy. As can be seen, this particular one provides
wheelchair access as well.
Flowers in the form of ground cover adorn the park's flower beds.
As is mentioned elsewhere, the park is dedicated to the City of
Richmond's sister city of Shimada, Japan. An artful arangement of used
building materials from the shipyards that were here during WW-2 have been
placed in the park to surround the plaque commemorating the dedication of
the park.
On the occasional clear day on the bay, the visitor to the park is
treated to a magnificant view of San Francisco's skyline.
The park's neighbors enjoy year round access by just stepping out of
their homes. What a life.
The park is a modest but beautifully landscaped open space bordering the bay and providing opportunities for picnics, fishing and trail access to Point Isabel Regional Shoreline Park (to the south) and to Miller Knox Regional Shoreline Park (and Keller Beach) to the north.
The park is named for Richmond's sister city, Shimada, Japan.
There are no fees for parking, or picnicing at the park.
Click on the word "trail" below to see highlights of the trail being discussed.
Two trails leave the park to enter the San Francisco Bay Trails system.
Looking to the east from the park is Albany Hill and the high-rise
apartment buildings on Highway 80.
This trail follows the bay, crosses
Meeker Creek and connects with Point Isabel
Regional Shoreline Park (to the south). When the pictures were
taken, the trail was in the process of being completed. As you will see,
there was a lot of work left to do.
At this writing, the trail to Point Isabel has been completed and is a delight for bicycle riders. A new set of pictures will be added soon to update the work that has been done.
The other trail leaves the park
to the north (across Marina Bay Parkway) and follows a system of urban
paths (sidewalks), passing the Richmond Yacht Harbor and ending at
Miller Knox Regional Shoreline Park (and
Keller Beach) to the north.
You will find the start of the trail in the center of the above picture
just to the left of the houses. It proceeds up and to the left going
toward the boats in the harbor at the extreme left. There is a Bay Trails
sign at the entrance.