Live Oak Park (Berkeley) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Live Oak Park (Berkeley)
Coast Live Oak on Walnut Street
Type	City park
Location	Berkeley, California, United States
Created	1914
Operated by	City of Berkeley

Live Oak Park is a public park in Berkeley, California. It's a big park, about 5.5 acres. It has lots of fun things to do, like play areas, basketball courts, and tennis courts. There's also an indoor theater and the Berkeley Art Center. The park has beautiful native oak trees and Bay Laurel trees. You can find quiet picnic spots and a big grassy hill. The lovely Codornices Creek flows right through the park. Live Oak Park is one of Berkeley's oldest and most natural parks.

Exploring Live Oak Park's Location

Live Oak Park is located in Berkeley, California. It sits along both sides of Codornices Creek. The park is found at 1301 Shattuck Avenue. Walnut Street also runs through the middle of the park. The creek winds through many native oak trees. You can also see very old trees that were planted long ago.

The Role of Codornices Creek

Live Oak Park is here because of the many small creeks. These creeks flow from the Berkeley Hills. They travel a short way down to San Francisco Bay. Codornices Creek is one of these original creeks. It starts in the Berkeley Hills. The creek flows through Berkeley. Further down, it marks the border with Albany, California. The name "Codornices" comes from a Spanish word. It means "quails." California valley quail were once common in this area.

The History of Live Oak Park

Live Oak Park has a long and interesting history. It started as a large piece of land. This land was bought by an early settler.

How the Park Began

In 1860, Napoleon Bonaparte Byrne bought this large area. It included the land where Live Oak Park is today. He and his family, along with Pete and Hannah Byrne, started farming there. They settled near Codornices Creek. The Byrnes began selling parts of their land in 1873.

Creating a City Garden

Henry Berryman bought some of the Byrne land. This became known as the Berryman place. Henry Berryman owned the Berkeley Waterworks. He built the Berryman Reservoir. He also extended the steam train line. This helped make North Berkeley a good place to live.

In 1914, the City Council decided to buy land for a park. They wanted to create a public park for everyone. At this time, many cities were creating beautiful public spaces. Berkeley needed more parks. The city officially took over the land on July 1, 1914. The park was then opened to the public. People suggested many names for the new park. On July 14, 1914, the City Council chose "Live Oak."

Later, the park was made even bigger. It was extended to Oxford Street. Codornices Creek and its trees were protected. One of the first improvements was the Walnut Street Bridge. It was designed in 1915. In 1917, a large stone fireplace was built. In 1918, William Miles gave a rustic aviary. The Penniman's brown shingle building became a clubhouse and library.

Live Oak Community Center Today

The Penniman Clubhouse burned down in 1951. After that, the city built the current Live Oak Community Center. This building is called the "Live Oak Park Recreation Center." Groups like the "Berkeley Folk Dancers" meet there. The "Berkeley Art Center" is also located nearby.

Live Oak Park is a free public park. There is a public restroom between the tennis court and the park. Picnic areas with the stone fireplace are available. You can find information about programs and classes online.

Images for kids

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  Codornices Creek

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  Stone Fireplace
  Built in 1917

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  Pittosporum undulatum

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  Prunus at Walnut Street Bridge