East Hillsdale Park in San Mateo will reopen Wednesday, Oct. 7, after a 13-month renovation. The 2.1-acre park at 123 31st Avenue received its first playground upgrade in 20 years.

The city's Parks and Recreation Department will host a brief reopening ceremony at 1 p.m., inviting neighbors to walk through the finished improvements. The park has been closed since Sept. 2, 2025.

The renovation included new play equipment, a repaved perimeter pathway, upgraded lighting and a new storm drainage system, according to the city's project page. The playground and surrounding area were completely renovated as part of the city's Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Plan.

The project's roots go back to January 2022, when more than 60 residents gathered at the park and voted on three playground equipment designs. The Park and Recreation Commission approved the Miracle Play Group design in March 2022. Callander Associates Landscape Architecture handled design and construction management services.

City Council awarded the construction contract to Suarez & Munoz Construction, Inc. on June 2, 2025. Two weeks later, council awarded a construction management contract to 4LEAF, Inc.

Supply chain delays pushed back installation of play equipment and light poles, an April 2026 update noted. At that point, pathways were 80% complete. The new storm drainage system had already performed as designed during recent storms.

The city said the project remained within budget, though no dollar figure has been published.

The Parks and Recreation Department said in its reopening announcement that the ceremony will let neighbors see the finished work firsthand. East Hillsdale Park sits tucked within a residential neighborhood and has no dedicated parking lot. The city asks attendees to use street parking and avoid blocking driveways.