Prof’s ‘Gold Rush’ plans: A Central Park for Sacramento

When Sacramento State professor Robert Waste first heard of his friend’s idea for a huge central park in Sacramento, he wasn’t sure if it was feasible. It didn’t take him long to have a change of heart.

“I was serving on the city’s planning commission,” says Waste, professor of public policy and administration. “My friend Joe Genshlea called and said, ‘I have this great idea.’ I told him that it sounded really wild, but too ambitious to work.”

He spent the weekend thinking about it and discussing it with his wife.

“I called Joe back on Monday,” Waste says. “I told him, ‘Let’s do it.’”

That phone call took place three years ago. Now plans for a Central Park-like city park include museums, a zoo, botanical gardens, a nature walk, a sports arena, an aquatic center, soccer fields, a performing arts center and enough housing to help pay for the venture.

The park would join the existing American River Parkway, Sutter’s Landing, Discovery Park and 900 acres of yet-to-be acquired land between the old rail yards and Discovery Park to form one of the largest urban parks in the United States.

The plan is to first place a few key attractions strategically throughout the park and allow subsequent business, residential and recreational structures to fill in.

Waste says all he has to do to make this dream a reality is to convince everyone.

“We have to take this slow, be careful and do a lot of study,” Waste says. “This can make Sacramento a ‘go to’ community instead of a ‘pass through’ community. It would be the fifth largest park in the United States.”

The first steps have been taken by Waste, Genshlea and Jack Diepenbrock, a local attorney. The three have formed the Gold Rush Park Foundation and hired Leon Younger to conduct a feasibility study, which should be complete by January. Younger is known nationally for his work on parks such as the one in Indianapolis that changed the city’s industrial area into a destination, complete with a zoo, amphitheater and a river walk.

Opening up the downtown area to the riverfront is a big objective for Waste, who wants to see activities such as river rafting, kayaking and the River Otter water taxi expanded and a new marina added.

“The American River Parkway is nice,” Waste says. “But more access is needed for both rivers.”

To finance the project, Waste says they’ll need to pull from many sources. The 900 acres they hope to acquire has an estimated value of $425 million. Using 200 acres of the park for residential use will finance a large portion of the park, according to Waste. Creating a conservancy for the area would bring in state dollars as well as protect the natural resources. Using a portion of the park for flood control would also bring in state dollars.

“By 2020 we’re projected to gain one million people in the area,” Waste says. “This park could bring in hundreds of new jobs. And it could draw tourists from Oregon to Bakersfield.”

Waste’s plans also include planting trees to improve the air quality in and around Sacramento and providing affordable housing.

Mark Francis, a professor at UC Davis and friend of Waste’s, had some of his design students create model parkscapes. Waste has talked to a number of local government bodies and will address the Sacramento State Alumni Association’s Breakfast Club speakers series in December.

Waste says he feels his whole career has led to this project.

“This is the final exam on everything I’ve ever learned about politics and planning,” Waste says.

For more information about development effort on Gold Rush Park visit www.goldrushpark.org.