Flood Park welcomes kids to new accessible playground

Flood Park’s long-awaited renovated playground is now open as part of the latest phase in San Mateo County’s investment in the almost 90-year-old park. 

The playground is designed to accommodate children with a range of physical, sensory and developmental disabilities and includes two climbing towers, zip lines, slides, spinners and swings. 

“This was something that we really custom built for the park, so it’s different from equipment that you see at other parks — that makes this a destination playground for people to visit,” San Mateo County Parks Department Director Hannah Ormshaw said.

The roughly $4.4 million playground is the second phase of Reimagine Flood Park, a comprehensive overhaul of the Menlo Park park that has been in the works for more than a decade. Construction finished in the spring, but the opening was delayed after safety reviews identified improvements that were needed and concerns about heat on the metal structure, Ormshaw said.

The first phase, completed in summer 2025, included new sports fields, pickleball and tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, walking trails and picnic areas.

San Mateo County Supervisor Lisa Gauthier said she appreciates the variety of activities available at the park and the oak trees that remain part of the space. She also pointed to nearby affordable housing as another reason the park will be important to residents

Next to Flood Park, the Ravenswood City School District and Alliant Strategic Development have started construction on 88 affordable apartments at the former James Flood Magnet School site at 320 Sheridan Drive. Once completed, Ravenswood teachers and staff would have first preference for apartments in the project.

There is still more to do. The parks department is working on a new restroom building and hopes to restart design work on the baseball diamond by the end of the year, Ormshaw said. Plans to renovate and reopen the diamond had been paused because of a lack of funding.

“We have a little bit more to do,” Gauthier said. “If you look at the baseball field, we’re going to make some investments and get that up to speed as well.”