Today, the City of San Rafael, in partnership with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), the County of Marin, Marin Community Foundation, and Canal Alliance, announced the successful acquisition of the 1.65-acre former boatyard property at 620 Canal Street – the first step in advancing development of a waterfront park and community gateway designed to enhance safety, connection, and resilience for thousands of local residents.
In June of this year, the San Rafael City Council had formally approved the use of City funds to support the purchase of the property for future public uses. Now, the long-awaited project is coming to fruition.
“We are thrilled to be a major step closer to realizing community priorities that have been decades in the making,” said San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin. “The opportunity for this site as a space to increase community connection, recreation, health, and wellbeing is unprecedented. This would not have been possible without the amazing support and advocacy from the Trust for Public Land, the County of Marin, the Canal Alliance, and the Marin Community foundation.”
The project’s priority of increasing open space and improving connectivity in the Canal neighborhood is reflected in the City’s 2009 Canalfront Conceptual Design Plan, the 2023 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and the 2040 General Plan.
This land purchase constitutes an effort from the City and County to address inequities in health by creating more connections to natural space and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
“The acquisition of 620 Canal Street marks a significant step towards building a healthier and more connected Marin. Through Measure A, we are increasing access to parks and open spaces while prioritizing equity and inclusion,” said Marin County Supervisor, Dennis Rodoni. “This project will help ensure all residents, especially those in the Canal neighborhood, have safe access to recreation and the waterfront. Our collaboration with the City of San Rafael, the Trust for Public Land, and Canal Alliance demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together to create opportunities and strengthen our community.”
The acquisition furthermore fulfills a long-standing community vision led by residents and the Canal Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving the neighborhood since 1982.
“This long-awaited project, prioritized by Canal families and leaders for decades, will redefine connectivity, expand opportunities both recreational and economic, and enhance community health and safety,” said Omar Carrera, Chief Executive Officer of Canal Alliance. “It’s the result of years of advocacy, partnership, and belief that every neighborhood deserves safe access to nature and opportunity.”
The project’s next phase will focus on community engagement, design, and planning to ensure the future park reflects the voices and needs of those who live in the Canal neighborhood.
The $3.35 million acquisition marks a major milestone in a decades-long effort led by Canal residents and community advocates to reclaim an aging industrial site as a vital neighborhood asset. Key funding from the project included $1,350,000 from Marin County Parks’ Measure A and $500,000 from the City of San Rafael, in addition to support from the Marin Community Foundation and individual philanthropists.
For more than 40 years, the Canal neighborhood—a vibrant, majority Latino community—has faced a lack of access to parks, safe transportation routes, and public waterfronts. The new park will address those long-standing inequities by providing a safe, scenic connection to downtown San Rafael through a future pedestrian and bicycle bridge linking the park to Montecito Plaza and San Rafael High School. Currently, residents and youth—more than 30% of whom are between the ages of 5 and 18—must navigate busy frontage roads for over a mile to reach schools, jobs, and essential services. Once complete, the park will serve as the anchor for a safer, greener, and more resilient Canal neighborhood.
Beyond better connecting the Canal community, this park may serve as an anchor for more opportunities for recreation and community gatherings in an area with limited green space, while also serving as critical emergency access during floods or other disasters for a community highly vulnerable to sea-level rise.
Situated alongside San Rafael Creek, the site’s strategic location makes it an ideal anchor for future infrastructure and climate resilience investments. The area currently has just one route in and out—leaving residents exposed during flooding or emergencies. The contemplated bridge connection will not only open safe, active transportation routes but also provide a critical evacuation corridor in the event of catastrophic flooding, as highlighted by the December 2024 tsunami warning.