Acta Scientiarum Polonorum

The article is a case study of a former landfill in Albany Bulb in San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California.
The studied area, which is adjacent to a state sponsored beach park development, is an example where
“dormant reserves” of a degraded terrain are revitalized via a grassroots movement of its users. The characteristics
of this region’s space development are influenced by both the McLaughlin Eastshore State Park
managed project and spontaneous, “semi-wild” use by the local residents, who are frequently organized into
local interest groups. It became a place of symbiosis where a visitor can choose between a formally organized
or semi-organized, more organic space. As this area became an experimental playground for adults, its
popularity demonstrates a demand for alternative city parks, where the user participates in its design and
development of a selected model. This article also discusses the campaign to transform landfills into recreational
parks originated by the Center for City Park Excellence in San Francisco, whose proposed legislature
supports an effective way to harness the potential of materials accumulated there.