The new Heritage Plaza and park encompasses a full city block across from the new Hayward Library & Community Learning Center in downtown Hayward. The Plaza dates back to the formative days of Hayward in the 1840s when the area was the homestead of rancher Don Guillermo Castro. Beneath the park’s central green, the previous library’s basement stores a rainwater catchment, storage and filtration system that will supply up to 200,000 gallons annually for irrigation and greywater uses in the new library building and plaza grounds. The new Heritage Plaza has a new 25,000-square-foot central event lawn, an 11,000-square-foot paved plaza with an elevated platform. It is also home to more than 40 species of rare and mature trees, along with interpretive signs and art pieces that represent the diverse experiences and cultures of the Hayward community. Landscape Architect RHAA was our partner for this beautiful civic gathering space.