The Berkeley Marina was originally part of the open waters of
San Francisco Bay. The original shoreline ran a few yards west of the
Southern Pacific (now
Union Pacific) tracks on Third Street. The area was gradually filled in over the years. In 1909, the City built a municipal wharf at the foot of University Avenue which was used primarily for freight. Starting in 1926, the Golden Gate Ferry Company began construction of the
Berkeley Pier. It was built out from the foot of University Avenue about into the Bay (measured from the original shoreline). On June 16, 1927, auto ferry service began. between the Berkeley Pier and the
Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco, a pier shared with the
Sausalito ferry. During this period
US Route 40 ran from
San Pablo Avenue down University Avenue to the Berkeley Pier. The ferry service lasted until about 1937, after the 1936 opening of the
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. Thereafter it became a fishing pier. US 40 was shifted to the new
Eastshore Highway and the Bay Bridge. Storms damaged the end of the pier over the years and it was closed. After World War II ended, it was repaired and re-opened in 1946 for fishing. In the 1970s, the city again repaired and upgraded the least damaged length of the Berkeley Pier, and it was in use until 2015 for fishing and viewing. Since about the late 1920s, the city municipal dump was located here, and the accumulated garbage and
construction debris accounts for most of the dry land of the Berkeley Marina. In the early 1990s much of the former dump was landscaped and converted into a park, originally named "North Waterfront Park". The park was renamed
César Chávez Park in 1996 to commemorate the late California labor leader. The actual Berkeley Marina, used by many people who sail on the Bay, was constructed as the
Berkeley Yacht Harbor in the late 1930s by the
Works Progress Administration in conjunction with its nearby work developing
Aquatic Park. It was constructed just west of the
West Berkeley Shellmound. During
World War II, the Berkeley Yacht Harbor was used by the
United States Navy to construct tug boats.
Berkeley heliport From October 1961 until April 5, 1974 a heliport was operated by
San Francisco and Oakland Helicopter Airlines (known as
SFO Helicopter Airlines) on the north side of University Avenue west of I-80 near the marina. This helicopter airline transported passengers to the
San Francisco (SFO) and
Oakland (OAK) international airports, and also at one point to downtown San Francisco. SFO Helicopter operated jet turbine powered
Sikorsky S-61 and
Sikorsky S-62 helicopters into the heliport which is no longer in existence.
Events and festivals The Berkeley Bay Festival, held at the Berkeley Marina on San Francisco Bay, is a family-focused event that celebrates the Bay, and the people and organizations dedicated to its protection. Attendees can connect with the Bay and the local community through live music, performances, food, hands-on educational activities, and free boat rides.
Fishing at the Berkeley Marina Prior to Berkeley Pier being closed, fishermen targeted sharks and rays year-round, as well as halibut from spring through summer and striped bass from spring through fall. They also caught smaller species, such as jacksmelt, pileperch, white seaperch, black perch, walleye surfperch, kingfish (white croaker), sand sole, and starry flounder. Fishing boats still use Berkeley Marina, and charter boats targeting halibut, striped bass, salmon, lingcod, rock cod, and Dungeness crab are available for fishermen to rent. == Environmental impacts ==