Sulphur Creek Reopens with a Party
Aviary Avenue at the Sulphur Creek Nature Center, 1801 D Street in Hayward, which reopens tomorrow, Thursday, November 7.
Sulphur Creek Nature Center reopens to the public tomorrow, Thursday, November 7 with several new features to boost outdoor education, community engagement, and environmental stewardship.
The ceremony will be at 1 p.m., at the center, located at 1801 D Street in Hayward and operated by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD).
Sulphur Creek takes in injured animals and nurses them back to health before release. Those that cannot be released back into the wild are kept in enclosures there. They house animals including rabbits, foxes and coyotes, many kinds of birds including owls and large birds of prey like golden eagles and peregrine falcons, and in indoor enclosures, snakes, tarantulas, reptiles and smaller animals.
Construction had been underway at the well-liked wildlife rehabilitation and education center since November of last year.
Improvements include a new pollinator garden to support local ecosystems and promote ecological awareness, an amphitheater built from reclaimed trees to blend education with nature in a unique setting for lectures and performances, and an outdoor education area with rustic shade structure for interactive learning, camps, and community events.
There will also be a new welcome kiosk and map to greet and orient visitors, seating between the center’s aviaries and its bridge to provide resting spots for visitors with scenic views of the wildlife exhibits, and new signage to provide wildlife education and provide easier navigation.
“The renovations at Sulphur Creek Nature Center are a celebration of the district’s commitment to community and conservation,” said Peter Rosen, president of HARD’s board of directors.
“From the rustic outdoor education area to the amphitheater built from reclaimed trees, every feature invites visitors to connect with nature. We’re excited to offer these interactive spaces — like our pollinator garden — that enrich experiences and inspire nature stewardship,” Rosen continued.
According to HARD’s website, Sulphur Creek got its start in the 1960s, when a lost rabbit named Happy by his human finders needed a place to stay. Neighbors brought him to what’s now the San Felipe Community Center and made a home for him there. Happy was soon joined by other animals in what became a sanctuary.
HARD acquired the property across D Street from San Felipe for what is now the Sulphur Creek Nature Center in 1970 and moved the animals there. It had been used as a wellness center that drew its sulphur water from springs there. It grew into a refuge for both animals and people, hidden in a suburban neighborhood near Fairview.
The renovations at the park drew funds from several sources, including a state Outdoor Environmental Education Facility (OEEF) grant for $498,000, a $100,000 Fremont Bank Foundation grant, a $40,000 grant from the HARD. Foundation, a $20,000 gift from Ann Pendleton: a $10,000 gift from a private donor, and proceeds from Measure F1 bonds.
Following the opening, hours at Sulphur Creek will be Tuesdays - Fridays from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., and Saturdays & Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Admission and parking are free. More information is available at www.haywardrec.org/1991/Nature-Centers
