Children can enjoy the updated playground after school at Palo Alto’s recently renovated Greer Park. Park renovations include an overhaul to the irrigation system and newly planted trees, among other improvements. – Jeffrey LuRenovations to Palo Alto’s Greer Park will be completed in the coming weeks, with improvements all throughout the public facility, according to project engineer Rajeev Das Hada.

The majority of the park is already open to the public, though some portions, such as the new landscape area near Colorado Avenue and West Bayshore Road, will remain closed off until renovations are completed in the next few weeks.

“Greer Park is already open [to the] public, including the newly installed children’s play area,” Hada said. “The whole project is slated to be completed around the end of [November].”

Immediately obvious is a greater abundance of trees, as well as new pedestrian walkways.

“We [planted] around 70 new trees and removed 9 existing trees,” Hada said. Additionally, there is a “new footpath installed at the new landscape area, at the intersection of [Colorado Avenue and West Bayshore Road].”

For younger park goers, the renovation process includes an updated play area with new play structures and rubber surfacing.

“The main change [to the play area] is the surface,” Hada said. “Instead of sand, we have a blend of rubber granules, recycled rubber and polyurethane binder from SpectraTurf. Old play equipment has been replaced. Overall, it has a better aesthetic appeal than what we had before.”

Park regulars may also notice that the previously barren area near Colorado Avenue and West Bayshore has been pampered with new turf and trees, among other features.

“The land [near] Colorado Avenue [and West Bayshore Road] has been abandoned for years,” Hada said. “Now, new trees, footpaths and [turf] have been installed. This has added to the aesthetic appeal of the park.”

For enhanced safety, the City also added an emergency call tower towards the rear of the park.

“The purpose of the emergency phone is for public safety,” Hada said. “Not all have cellphones.”

Aside from all the visible improvements, the park also received upgrades to the irrigation system.

“The whole irrigation system at Greer Park has been improved,” Hada said. “The existing pump station is going to be removed. A new one has already been installed, but hasn’t been connected to the new irrigation system yet.”

Ultimately, Hada sees the renovation process as a benefit to all park visitors.

“The park renovation has been a success,” Hada noted. “The public will have a better park with better facilities.”