New Name for Willow Park Golf Course

The East Bay Regional Park District board of directors voted unanimously Tuesday to rename the golf course at Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley. The former Willow Park Golf Course is now named Redwood Canyon Public Golf Course.

“The community has been looking forward to this. It’s not the end of the process, but it’s a very good start,” said Board member Dennis Waespi, whose district includes the picturesque 130-acre golf course near Lake Chabot. “We’re looking forward to a bright future for the golf course and event center in Castro Valley.”

The name change was the result of a settlement agreement between the Park District and the former operators of Willow Park, whose 50-year lease expired in November, 2014. As part of the settlement, the District agreed to rename the course by April 1, 2015.

District staff and board members considered several names but chose Redwood Canyon because the course lies at the southern end of Redwood Canyon, which was once home to thousands of old-growth redwood trees before they were logged in the 1800s. Large, lush forests of second-growth redwoods now thrive in the northern end of the 10-mile canyon.

The Park District has planted dozens of redwoods in the golf course area and intends to plant more, in an effort to bring the majestic trees back to the Castro Valley hills. One of the Bay Area’s most scenic courses, Redwood Canyon is already home to oaks, willows and a vibrant array of wildlife. San Leandro Creek runs through the middle of the course.

The interim operator of the golf course is Touchstone Golf LLC of Berkeley. In addition to the course, Redwood Canyon includes a pro shop, bar and restaurant, and event center. The Park District hopes to  make numerous upgrades at the facility over the next few years, including replacing the roof at the clubhouse, repairing the sewer system, renovating the bathrooms, and repaving the driveway and parking lot, among other projects.

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 119,000+ acres in 65 parks including over 1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature learning.