Tilden EEC Replacement Project

Site Description

At the northern end of Tilden Regional Park, nestled in the hills above Berkeley, the East Bay Regional District operates the Tilden Nature Area. The 740-acre nature area includes over 10 miles of hiking trails through a blend of native and introduced plant communities. Natural resource features include oak/bay woodlands, grasslands, eucalyptus forests, streams, ponds, and Wildcat Peak with its panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. Tilden Nature Area is home to the Tilden Environmental Education Center and the Tilden Little Farm which features a variety of farm animals including cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, and pigs.

The Tilden Environmental Education Center provides exhibits and public programs that highlight the diverse resources of the Tilden Nature Area. The existing Education Center and adjacent Little Farm are a major public attraction and a gateway for many to the East Bay natural environment. In addition, hundreds of school children arrive each month to participate in the naturalist programs offered by the Park District at this location.

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Overview

The existing Tilden Environmental Education Center is located at the north end of Central Park Drive, Contra Costa County, California. The existing facility consists of two structures: the education center and a security residence. Both buildings were built in the 1970’s and have outlived their useful life spans. The District intends to replace these existing structures with a new facility of a similar size. The Tilden Little Farm is outside the scope of this project and will remain unchanged.

The District envisions a new facility providing the following:

• a state-of-the art educational and exhibit experience that is inviting and accessible.
• a building complex fully Integrated with its surrounding natural and cultural landscape.
• a design that reflects the District’s commitment to sustainable and resilient design practices.

The District has contracted the architectural firm EHDD to develop the project design. Their design team will include CMG for landscape design and Aldrich Pears Associates for exhibit design. EHDD was the architect for the following local public facilities in San Francisco; the Exploratorium, Lands End Visitor Center, and the Tunnel Tops Visitor Center at the Presidio.

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Site Location

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Timeline

• Project Design Schedule
  • Pre-Design Phase: completed – Winter 2024
  • Schematic Design Phase: begins Winter 2024/ ends Summer 2024
• Community Meeting Schedule:
  • Community Meeting #1: Project Overview (zoom meeting):
    • Wednesday January 31, 2024, 6:30-8:00 pm
  • Community Meeting #2: Design Options (zoom meeting):
    • Wednesday February 28, 2024, 6:30-8:00 pm
  • Community Meeting #3: Preferred Design Option (zoom meeting)
    • Wednesday April 10, 2024, 6:30-8:00 pm

Comments

Fundraising Opportunities

Contact the Regional Park Foundation: help@regionalparkfoundation.org

Resources

Contact Info

For general questions, please contact the Project Manager at tildeneecreplacement@ebparks.org

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