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Leveraging School Facilities <br />School sites in San Leandro play an essential role in <br />addressing recreational needs in neighborhoods with <br />limited park access. However, inconsistent and poorly <br />defined public access limits their effectiveness as reliable <br />community assets. By collaborating with the San Leandro <br />and San Lorenzo Unified School Districts, the city has the <br />opportunity to clarify public use policies and transform <br />these spaces into dependable resources. Strengthened <br />joint-use agreements can establish clear parameters for <br />access, programming, and shared responsibilities for <br />maintenance and improvements, creating a sustainable <br />framework to better meet the city’s recreation needs. <br />Joint use agreements are common in the Bay Area and <br />throughout California and several successful models are <br />available for review. <br />HOW THIS WILL ADDRESS <br />RECREATION NEEDS <br />IMPROVING PARK ACCESS <br />Map 4.1 shows that several San Leandro neighborhoods <br />lack a park within walking distance. If school grounds <br />served as reliable public parks, park accessibility in San <br />Leandro would be significantly improved, as illustrated in <br />Map 4.3. <br />PROVIDING ADDITIONAL AMENITIES <br />Table 4.1 and the community survey indicate a demand <br />for amenities such as playgrounds, basketball courts, and <br />multipurpose fields. Consistent public access to school <br />facilities could help address these gaps at a low cost to the <br />city. Additionally, collaborative efforts between the city and <br />the school districts to add new amenities to school grounds <br />that benefit both students and the broader community. <br />EXPANDING PROGRAMMING SPACES <br />The San Leandro community identified several program <br />offerings as high-priority needs (see Figure 3.3) <br />Partnering with local schools could help alleviate the <br />strain of additional programs on city parks and community <br />centers, reducing scheduling conflicts and ensuring <br />adequate space for all city programs. <br />KEY CONSIDERATIONS <br />VARIABLE CONDITIONS AND LACKING <br />AMENITIES <br />San Leandro’s school sites often have inconsistent <br />conditions and lack basic amenities like seating, <br />shade, and public restrooms, making their comfort and <br />recreational value somewhat lacking compared to a <br />traditional public park. To address this, the city and the <br />school districts could work together to upgrade facilities <br />and add amenities, ensuring sites meet a standard that is <br />functional and inviting for both school and community use. <br />CLEAR COMMUNICATION OF GUIDELINES FOR <br />PUBLIC USE <br />To ensure public access aligns with student safety and <br />school operations, clear signage should define usage hours <br />and specify which areas are available for public use, along <br />with other safety measures. This will help avoid conflicts <br />and establish a structured framework for shared facility use. <br />COST SHARING & MAINTENANCE <br />A collaborative funding strategy can help the city and <br />school districts share the costs of facility upgrades, <br />and maintenance and can explore grant opportunities <br />for joint-use facilities to further support these efforts. A <br />clear agreement for long-term development, operations, <br />maintenance should also be established to ensure <br />facilities remain in good condition, while balancing the <br />workload among parties. <br />MAP 4.2 | Recreation and Park Opportunities <br />LEGEND <br />City-Owned Opportunity <br />Development Opportunity <br />Trail Opportunity <br />Joint-Use Opportunity <br />San Leandro Park Master Plan | 56 DRAFT DRAFT 57 | Our Needs and Opportunities