Anna Jean Cummings Park
| Anna Jean Cummings Park | |
|---|---|
| Location | 461 Old San Jose Road, Soquel, California |
| Nearest city | Soquel, California |
| Coordinates | 36°59′41″N 121°57′34″W / 36.99472°N 121.95944°WCoordinates: 36°59′41″N 121°57′34″W / 36.99472°N 121.95944°W |
| Area | 95 acres (38 ha) |
| Created | 2001 |
| Operated by | Santa Cruz County Parks Department |
Anna Jean Cummings Park is a 95 acres (38 ha) park located in unincorporated Santa Cruz County, at 461 Old San Jose Road, Soquel, California, that opened in the summer of 2001 on the former O'Neill Ranch.[1][2][3] [4] Its nickname is "Blue Ball Park" for the art installation of "Skyballs" by Steve Gillman and Katherine Keefer, a series of four sky-blue 8-foot diameter spheres that appear to roll down the coastal prairie terrace.[5]
The lower bench has a lawn, picnic pavilion, playground, and restrooms. The upper bench has natural turf baseball/softball diamonds and soccer fields, more restrooms, and a walking/jogging path that circumnavigates the playfields.
The rest of the park is rare coastal prairie, grassland, and riparian habitat with a meandering trail network. Rare and endangered species have been observed in the park,[6][7][8] according to the February 1995 O'Neill Ranch Master Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report.
The park is named after Anna Jean Cummings, a former executive director of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.[9]
References
- ↑ "Anna Jean Cummings Park". Capitola-Soquel Patch. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ↑ "Anna Jean Cummings Park". Great-Kids-Parks.com. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ↑ "Anna Jean Cummings Park". Santa Cruz County Parks Department.
- ↑ Friends of Anna Jean Cummings Park
- ↑ "Anna Jean Cummings Park". Santa Cruz County Parks Department.
- ↑ "O'Neill Ranch". Santa Cruz Birding Guide. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
- ↑ Birds of Anna Jean Cummings Park at Flickr.com
- ↑ Anna Jean Cummings Park species listing on iNaturalist.org
- ↑ "Co-Founder and current Board President John Gilchrist looks back on 30 years of land protection". Landmarks newsletter. Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Fall 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
- Bookwalter, Genevieve (February 17, 2010). "Soquel residents skeptical of new soccer fields at Anna Jean Cummings". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved July 14, 2014.