For more than eighty years, the Golden Gate Fields horse racing track was a landmark on the bayfront, straddling the border of Berkeley and Albany.

Now, the 161-acre site is on track for a major transformation after the Trust for Public Land struck a $175 million deal to acquire the property and turn it into a sprawling public park.

Ownership will transfer to the East Bay Regional Park District, expanding green space from Richmond to Oakland and restoring vital shoreline ecosystems.

Guillermo Rodriguez from the Trust for Public Land and Director Elizabeth Echols expressed enthusiasm about bringing community input into the planning process.

Funding will come from local bond measures, state funds, and private donations, while current owner the Stronach Group will clear existing structures.

Environmental advocates and local officials have praised the plan, calling it a generational opportunity to protect the shoreline and enhance access for East Bay residents.