Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – Marin County voters in 2022 renewed Marin County Parks Measure A, the quarter-cent sales tax that supports local parks and open space, expanding funding to acquire land for new recreation areas, particularly in communities where a new park is most needed.
The commitment to build a new park in the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael is a solid example of that priority for Marin County Parks as it considers projects suitable for Measure A contributions. Escrow closed November 14 on a parcel at 620 Canal Street, adjacent to the creek that flows to San Francisco Bay and just blocks away from the highly populated, ethnically diverse, and lower-income section of San Rafael.
In September, the Marin County Board of Supervisors authorized a $1.35 million grant from Measure A to help the City of San Rafael buy the property. San Rafael has worked with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit that shares the same goals of creating new parks and providing equitable access to the outdoors, and other partners on an effort to acquire the property. The total purchase price is $3.355 million. The County’s grant of $1.35 million was added to $500,000 from the City of San Rafael’s own funds and $1.505 million in private philanthropic funds from the Marin Community Foundation and over a dozen individual private donors to complete the purchase.
With escrow closed on the $3.355 million transaction, the City of San Rafael now owns the 1.65-acre boatyard on the south side of the canal and intends to build a waterfront park for the historically underserved residents of the largely Latino community.
“The acquisition of 620 Canal Street marks a significant step toward building a healthier and more connected Marin,” said District 4 County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, who represents the Canal neighborhood. “Through Measure A, we are increasing access to parks and open spaces while prioritizing equity and inclusion. This project will help ensure all residents, especially those in the Canal neighborhood, have safe access to recreation and the waterfront. Our collaboration with the City of San Rafael, the Trust for Public Land, and Canal Alliance demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together to create opportunities and strengthen our community.”
The city and nonprofit Canal Alliance will team up for a multiyear community-based planning process to design recreational amenities and programming while partnering with community groups to raise funds for remediation, park design, and construction. Canal Alliance, a community-based nonprofit since 1982, has been a leading supporter and advocate for the acquisition and development of the property.
Another critical need, identified by Canal residents and city planners, is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the canal that would allow passage to the commercial Montecito Plaza and San Rafael High School properties. Existing conditions force walkers and bike riders to cross the canal over the bridge on East Francisco Drive, which is much less safe and convenient for students, shoppers, and workers. The City of San Rafael recently received funds to analyze the feasibility of a bridge crossing with the southern starting point at Canal Boatyard Park.
Measure A was first approved by voters in 2012. When it was renewed in 2022, there was a stronger focus on wildfire fuel reduction, equitable programs, and support for sustainable agriculture. Measure A's Natural Land Preservation & Park Access Grant Program (NLPPA) is the specific source of the County funding. In 2024, NLPPA funds supported the Town of Fairfax’s purchase of the Wall Property as permanent open space, and in 2023 the Board of Supervisors approved a grant of Measure A NLPPA funds to Marin Open Space Trust to support the purchase of Upper Hawthorne Canyon, completing the protection of the Town of San Anselmo’s Hawthorne Canyon Open Space Preserve.
Grants are awarded to qualifying applicants to leverage other funding that supports the acquisition of property and conservation easements. Allotments are prioritized for projects that improve equitable access to parks and permanently protect properties with high natural resource value.