The City of Hercules is working toward significant improvements to its local parks, trails and facilities, bringing to life the new Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan. Adopted in 2024 after an 18-month collaborative process, the Master Plan provides a 10-year framework to guide the maintenance, improvement and selective expansion of the city’s beloved park system. The plan includes a detailed 5-year action plan that summarizes capital improvement projects, implementation strategies and potential funding sources, ensuring these long-term goals are met with concrete steps.

“This Master Plan brings our City’s vision for well-maintained parks and public spaces into focus, providing a clear plan for the next decade,” said Hercules City Manager Dante Hall. “It is exciting to see these enhancements come to life so quickly. We are proud of the progress and look forward to continuing to put the plan into action for our community.”

Following the plan’s adoption in 2024, the City has already completed several key projects across Hercules.

Recently Completed Enhancements:

Community Swim Center

• Recoated the gymnasium floor and installed new wall-mounted basketball hoops.

• Applied fresh interior and exterior paint to the entire facility.

• Installed a new pool perimeter fence.

Refugio Valley Park

• Installed a new All-Abilities Swing to enhance playground accessibility.

• Managed the park’s tree canopy for safety by removing over 40 trees and planting more than 70 new ones.

• Began the permitting process for future lake dredging.

Facility and Sustainability Upgrades

• Completed Senior Center renovations including recoated flooring, ADA-compliant upgrades and an updated kitchen.

• Converted the former Teen Center facility into a new Preschool Center.

• Installed new hydration and bottle-refill stations at five locations (Community Center, the pool, Senior Center, City Hall and Ohlone Community Center).

Upcoming Projects:

Residents can look forward to several more projects breaking ground in the near future:

Refugio Valley Park

• Install a new bottle refill station with ADA-compliant fountains and a pet bowl (Anticipated Completion: Summer 2025).

• Renovate the “Birds and Gems” picnic sites with permanent shade structures (Anticipated Completion: Fall 2025).

Foxboro Park

• Renovate the playground and resurface the basketball court (Anticipated Completion: Spring 2026).

Beechnut Mini Park

• Complete a full park renovation, including a new playground and barbecue area (Anticipated Completion: 2027).

“Our community shared their priorities during the planning process, and this wave of projects is our direct response. From making our playgrounds more accessible to modernizing the Senior Center kitchen, we are focused on delivering improvements that residents can see and use every day,” said Hercules City Manager Dante Hall. 

Learn more about the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan here and view the full plan document.