The East Bay Regional Parks District has reached an agreement to purchase an additional 1,367 acres of the Pleasanton Ridge for a reported $6.2 million.
The announcement Thursday is for the purchase of the Robertson Ranch Land east of Palomares Road and includes the 2,163 foot tall Sunol Peak.
The purchase, expected to be completed in December was approved by the Parks District Board of Directors Tuesday.
The money will come from a 2008 regional park bond measure, grants and a surcharge on trash disposed at the Altamont Landfill.
Pleasanton Ridge regional Park is currently 7,500 acres. With this purchase of additional acreage the park will cover an area approximately 14 square miles.
In July this year, the park service announced plans to add new entrances along the ridge from Dublin Canyon Road to Sunol. This will include a new entrance at West Las Positas Blvd. and Foothill Road with a 75 car staging area.
This new access point at West Las Positas Bivd. and Foothill Road will be called "Garms Staging Area". A trail head will be established with a trail up to the scenic Tehan Falls.
The current access point on Foothill Road just south of Castkewood will be expanded to add two dozen parking spots to that staging area. This staging area is heavily used.
A new trail head will also be added on Dublin Canyon Road at Devany Canyon for people to cycle and walk into the park. A new staging area is also planned for Tyler Ranch near Niles Canyon and Sunol for a 90 car staging area.
