Bicycle Safety
Playground 

The Palo Alto Bicycle Safety Playground (or ‘Traffic Garden’) is a passion project of a Class of 2025 Gunn High School student whose own personal experience with the need for better bicycle safety skills began her commitment to make a difference in her community. A Bicycle Safety Playground, a paved playground area with a series of miniature roads with common traffic infrastructure elements (i.e. roundabouts, crosswalks, stop signs, and road intersections) allows people to practice biking skills year-round while safely off-road. With support and assistance, Palo Alto will create the first such permanent Bicycle Safety Playground in the Bay Area at the Ventura Community Center on or before April of 2025 on a large, open asphalt surface. Donated funds will support the cost of installation and maintenance of the Bicycle Safety Playground over approximately the next decade. The mixed-use space will be open to the public year-round and will serve as a host location for regular events and programming provided by Palo Alto’s Safe Routes to School.

Greer
Skatepark

Palo Alto’s historically and culturally significant skate park, built in 1990, and recognized globally will undergo a major redo that will extend the boundaries of the existing skate park and make way for new terrain that will provide a state-of-the art experience.  Renewal will be in two phases: Phase 1 targets construction of a contemporary “street” plaza addition while Phase 2 targets the construction of multiple new bowl and transitional elements, as well as refurbishing the historic bowl. The project will create a hub where skaters of all ages and abilities can come together, push their limits, build connections, and provide a safe, dedicated space for a continuing to grow sport — and will ensure that our local skate park reflects the spirit and needs of today’s skaters.

Bike Palo Alto  

Friends of the Palo Alto Parks partners with Bike Palo Alto to increase awareness of Palo Alto parks. Bike routes include a number of Palo Alto parks. Bike Palo Alto works all year to prepare for their annual October event. Friends’ 501(c)(3) status helps them receive both monetary and in-kind donations and grants that are used to fund their events. Monetary contributions, welcomed all year, go toward paying for a number of items such as refreshments at park treat stops and route signage. For more information about Bike Palo Alto, go to bikepaloalto.org. 

Dog Parks 

Recently established by the Palo Alto Dog Owners Association, this fund was suggested by members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission as a vehicle to help facilitate future dog parks and dog park enhancements. The Palo Alto Dog Owners Association authorizes all fund expenditures. 

Foothills Nature Preserve  

Friends of the Palo Alto Parks and The Friends of Foothills Preserve are partnering to enhance and maintain Foothills Nature Preserve. Organized in 1995, The Friends of Foothills Preserve is dedicated to assisting the park staff in a wide range of park activities. With a mission to conserve the natural features and scenic values of the park, to provide for the use and enjoyment of the resources found here, and to protect and maintain the ecology of this area, The Friends of Foothills Preserve welcomes volunteers to support this mission. Friends of the Palo Alto Parks accepts monetary donations for this work. For more information on the Preserve and The Friends of Foothills Preserve or to sign up for volunteer activities, go to fofweb.org. 

Bol Park
Native Plant Garden

Bol Park Native Plant Garden was established by a neighborhood group of gardeners in 2007. Their goal was to upgrade a neglected area by planting California native plants to provide beauty and a habitat for local wildlife and to inspire other gardeners. Friends of the Palo Alto Parks serves as the money manager, allowing tax-deductible donations and grants for the Native Plant Garden. Recently the garden more than doubled in size. New plantings were chosen for their value to locally native insects and birds to foster biodiversity. It is maintained by donations and volunteers under the guidance of Barron Park Association Native Habitat Committee. This project needs continued support with in-kind and monetary donations. For more information about the garden, please email bpnativegarden@gmail.com.

Cubberley Track and Field

Cubberley Track and Field is the only city managed all-weather track and field open to the public. The Track has become a magnet for marathon runners, joggers, HeartFit walkers, G-Fit exercisers, neighborhood walkers, and parents of soccer kids practicing on the field. The all-weather Field is used by hundreds of kids every weekday of the year. On October 18, 2019, the ribbon was cut to celebrate the opening of the renovated track and field after a rubberized upgrade replaced decomposed granite, and artificial turf was laid for all-year use of the field. All monetary contributions made through Friends of the Palo Alto Parks will go towards refurbishing the Cubberley Track and Field to provide year-around benefit for our recreational and competitive athletes.

Palo Alto Pickleball Club  

The Palo Alto Pickleball Club was created to support and promote the sport of pickleball at Mitchell Park and the surrounding area. The club welcomes everyone who wants to play or to learn how to play pickleball. The courts at Mitchell Park have become a wonderful community gathering place for young people, families, and seniors to enjoy the exercise and camaraderie associated with the game. The club has funded pickleball nets, paddles, and equipment for the community’s use; LED light fixtures for the courts; and the installation of an extra gate to improve the flow of players during the pandemic. Being a partner with Friends of the Palo Alto Parks will provide pickleball supporters an easy way to donate toward future court improvements. For more information, please visit paloaltopickleballclub.org. 

General Fund  

Donations to the General Fund allow the Board of Directors the flexibility to act quickly to allocate money to a project most in need. Some money from this fund is also used for expenses that can’t be avoided, such as the annual corporation fees paid to the state to continue as a non-profit corporation. If a donation is made and a project is not specified, the money goes into the General Fund.