Fremont Central Park facts for kids
Fremont Central Park is a huge park in the middle of Fremont, California. It covers about 450 acres, which is like 340 football fields! You can find it on Paseo Padre Parkway, near Stevenson Boulevard. It's easy to get to from major highways like I-880 and I-680.
The park started being built in 1960. It's home to Lake Elizabeth, a large, man-made lake that's about 83 acres big. Around the lake, you'll find places for picnics, sports fields, and paths for walking or biking. Lake Elizabeth was named in 1969 after Fremont's sister city, Elizabeth, South Australia. The park also has a golf course, a skateboarding park, and a fun water slide swimming area.
A lot of the park used to be a wetland called Stivers Lagoon. It's an important part of the Laguna Creek Watershed.
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Fun Things to Do at the Park
The park has a visitor center where you can get information about Fremont and the wider East Bay area. It's a great place to start your visit!
Boating on Lake Elizabeth
You can rent different kinds of boats to use on Lake Elizabeth. They offer kayaks for one or two people, paddle boats for up to four people, and even stand-up paddle boards. If you have your own boat, you can bring it to the lake for a small fee.
Getting to Fremont Central Park
Most people drive or walk to Fremont Central Park. On busy weekends, the parking lots can get very full. Just remember, you can't park on the curb south of Stevenson or east of Paseo Padre Parkway.
Public Transport Options
The Fremont BART station is only about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the park. You can also take an AC Transit bus, as they have routes that stop near the park.
The BART Tunnel Under the Park
Around 2012, a train tunnel was built right under the park. This tunnel is part of the Warm Springs BART expansion. Building tunnels underground costs more money than building tracks on the surface. However, it helps to keep the park peaceful and less affected by the trains. The tunnel was built using a method called "cut-and-cover." Even though it was finished in 2012, trains didn't start using it until 2017.
