The new plan for the Brickyard section of the Eastshore State Park.

The plan includes a lot of attractive features, including a 40' high wind break and hill positioned so as not to obstruct views from the I-80 overcrossing. The plan also retains the popular Seabreeze Market and Deli, and deletes the unpopular "promenade" shown on earlier plans. Although not shown here, Robbin Ottinger of State Parks promises a direct bike path link from the overcossing to the Marina spur of the Bay Trail, behind Seabreeze, without turning back to Frontage Road.

Unfortunately, despite numerous opportunities to reach the water, there is no provision in either the Brickyard plan or in the current $3 million implementation of the Meadow plan for any kind of water-borne access.

This is one of the "backwards" results of the contentious Eastshore State Park planning process. The Brickyard, being closer to the freeway and surrounded by tidal flats at low water, would have been perfect as protected habitat. It would even have been relatively easy to keep dogs and other small animals off the narrow entrance to the Brickyard peninsula to protect nesting birds.

The Meadow, on the other hand, is farther from freeway noise, is closer to existing development and recreational uses in the Marina, and fronts on deeper water in the North Sailing Basin making it far more suitable for enhanced water access by kayaks and other small non-motorized watercraft. As protected habitat it will be very difficult to maintain the long perimeter of fencing. The Meadow - or at least the western portion of it - would have been much better suited to recreation, while the Brickyard is more naturally positioned and shaped for habitat protection.