Ashland Zócalo Park
WRT, in collaboration with HARD and The Trust for Public Land, led a community‑driven process to bring Ashland Zócalo from vision to reality. Located in unincorporated Alameda County, Ashland has long lacked a central gathering place and access to parks, despite rapid demographic change and growing cultural diversity. Through extensive bilingual engagement — including book‑making workshops, hands‑on design sessions, and meetings conducted primarily in Spanish with English translation — residents shaped every aspect of the project. This inclusive process secured $7 million in Prop 68 funding and maintained momentum even through the challenges of the pandemic. Community authorship extended to public art, planting, and the naming of the park itself. The alignment between partners and residents, championed by the Landscape Architect, demonstrates the transformative potential of equitable, participatory design.
WRT championed the community voice into a design vision giving Ashland a central town square. The resulting one‑acre park translates community priorities into a vibrant, culturally expressive landscape anchored by a custom shade structure that serves as a gateway to both the site and the broader neighborhood. Inspired by mosaic tiles, the design weaves together flexible green spaces, play areas, gathering zones, and habitat within a compact footprint.
The mosaic theme appears across scales — from play surfacing to a recycled‑tile mural at the restroom and community hub — while material and color choices reflect the vibrancy of local front yards.
Native and climate‑adapted planting supports pollinators, reduces irrigation demand, and restores ecological function on a formerly paved site.
Permeable surfaces, suspended pavement, and integrated hydrology systems enhance stormwater performance and long‑term resilience.
Together, these elements create a cohesive, technically rigorous, and expressive public space that now functions as Ashland’s civic heart, supporting daily use, cultural events, and community identity.
Ashland Zócalo Park demonstrates the potential of partnerships with HARD, WRT, and TPL to address community needs for park equity. The relationship with HARD has been expanded into an extensive portfolio of trails, parks, and open space, and with TPL in the Bay Area, the Central Valley, and Northern California.
Awards
2026 ASLA Northern California Merritt Award
for General Design
