Martin Luther King, Jr. Park serves as a vital recreational space for the residents of East Palo Alto, offering a variety of amenities such as baseball and multi-purpose fields, a play structure, picnic areas equipped with BBQ pits, restroom facilities, a concessions building, and a parking lot. Additionally, the park functions as a significant access point to the Bay Trail and nearby nature preserves, enhancing its role in promoting outdoor activities and community engagement.
Currently, the park is in need of substantial upgrades and a comprehensive redesign to align with the objectives outlined in the City’s Parks Master Plan. The recent acquisition of the adjacent vacant lot on Beech Street has expanded the park’s potential footprint, prompting the City to engage Verde Design for the development of a master plan that incorporates feedback from community members and park stakeholders. Planned enhancements include the reconfiguration of the existing fields to accommodate various sports such as baseball, soccer, football, and rugby, while the Beech Street lot will be transformed to feature new basketball courts, tennis and pickleball courts, a bocce court, an inclusive play area, an adult fitness zone, shade structures, and additional parking. Furthermore, the renovation of the existing concessions and restroom building, along with improvements to BBQ and play areas, will significantly benefit the East Palo Alto community.
