Grand Opening of New Centennial Way Park South

Published on September 17, 2024

Ribbon-cutting ceremony set for new community recreation and education space

The City of South San Francisco is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newest green space, Centennial Way Park South, with an exciting ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Sunday, September 29 at 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Located along Centennial Way Trail between Spruce Avenue and Huntington Avenue, this new community park promises to be a vibrant hub for recreation, relaxation, and community engagement.

The ribbon-cutting event will feature various festivities, including family-friendly activities, and opportunities to try out the new bike pump track and skate space.

"We are incredibly excited to open Centennial Way Park South and share this wonderful space with our community," said James Coleman, Mayor of South San Francisco. "This park is not just a place for outdoor activities but a testament to our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our residents. It’s accessible by our neighboring BART stations, and is right along the trail by nearby South San Francisco High School and Los Cerritos Elementary School."

Centennial Way Park South boasts an array of features designed to cater to all ages and interests, including:

• an outdoor classroom 
• a pollinator themed garden and playground 
• nature play area 
• green space and picnic tables 
• skate park 
• bike park 
• new lighting 
• improvements to the paved trail

Centennial Way Park South was one of three opportunity areas identified for improvement by the Centennial Way Trail Master Plan, adopted in 2023 in which residents shared desired improvements for the full stretch of the trail from the South San Francisco BART Station to the San Bruno BART Station.

This project was funded in part by a grant from the State of California’s Clean California program with matching funds from the City and from the Department of Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Initiative’s Community Project Funding grant.

“The opening of Centennial Way Park South will provide a wide range of amenities for South San Francisco residents,” said Congressman Kevin Mullin. “I am pleased that I was able to secure federal funding for a safe, accessible space that will have a positive impact on the social and physical well-being of the community. This project continues South San Francisco’s goal of being a great place to live, work and play.”

Landscape architecture consultants Callander Associates were engaged for community engagement, design, and construction administration. The park design was a collaborative effort involving input from local residents, businesses, and City officials which included workshops, surveys, and focus group meetings in 2022-2023.  A & B Construction of Oakland, California was awarded the construction contract.

“We’re thrilled to open this new park, which perfectly aligns with our city’s values of community, sustainability, and well-being,” shared City Manager Sharon Ranals. “This space is designed to bring people together, promote a healthy lifestyle, and enhance our urban environment, reflecting our commitment to creating a vibrant, inclusive, and green city.”

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and join in the celebrations. Light refreshments will be provided.

For additional information about the event or the new park, please visit www.ssf.net/parkprojects

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About the City of South San Francisco 

The City of South San Francisco proudly remains The Industrial City, a reflection of its steel mill and ship building past, redefined to reflect the innovative, entrepreneurial, and industrious spirit which has made South San Francisco the Biotech Capital of the World, with 217 active biotech companies and growing. A vibrant community of 66,185 residents, South San Francisco enjoys a high quality of life with an extensive public parks system, active library and learning programming and a dynamic, engaged community making South San Francisco a great place to live, learn, work, and play.