| John Hinkel Park | |||||||||||
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| Type | City park | ||||||||||
| Location | 41 Somerset Place, Berkeley, California, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°53′43″N122°16′24″W / 37.895278°N 122.273333°W | ||||||||||
| Area | 4.9 acres (2.0 ha) | ||||||||||
| Operated by | City of Berkeley | ||||||||||
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John Hinkel Park is an urban park located in the North Berkeley neighborhood of Berkeley, California, U.S. It has been listed by the city as a Berkeley Landmark since April 2, 2001, [1] and it contains a historical plaque since 2003. [2]
In 1919, Ada and John Hinkel donated 7 acres (2.8 ha) of hillside land to the city of Berkeley, in dedication to the Boy Scouts of America's work during World War I. [2] John Gregg, a local professor in landscaping, had helped with the design of the park before it was donated to the city. [2] The amphitheater was built in 1934 and designed by Vernon Dean and funded by the Civil Works Administration. [2] The amphitheater was used in the 1940s for community gatherings, music, and dance productions. It was also the performance space for the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival from 1971 until 1991. [3] In recent years the amphitheater has been used by a number of theatrical groups, including Shotgun Players, [4] [5] Women's Will, [6] Open Opera, [7] Inferno Theatre, [8] [9] and Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. [10] [8] [11] The City of Berkeley also sponsors occasional live musical performances. [12] The park also contains picnic tables and a playground. [13]
It once contained a redwood clubhouse (1918–2015), which was the home of the Berkeley Folk Dancers until 1984, was declared unsafe due to foundation issues and ultimately burned down in a fire. [13] The park was renovated in 2022. [13]
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