Park District Recognizes Rep. DeSaulnier With Advocacy Award

EAST BAY, CA — The East Bay Regional Park District and the Regional Parks Foundation recognized U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) with the 2023 Radke Championing Advocacy Award at a ceremony Friday along the Iron Horse Trail in Walnut Creek.

DeSaulnier has been a longtime supporter and avid user of Park District parks and trails. In 2022, he was instrumental in securing $3 million in federal funding for the District’s planned visitor center at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50, the Park District said.

"U.S. Representative Mark DeSaulnier has been a great champion and supporter of the East Bay Regional Park District," said Park District Board President Dennis Waespi. "The 2023 Radke Championing Advocacy Award recognizes the Representative for his many years of advocacy for the Park District, including as a Concord City Council Member, Contra Costa County Supervisor, State Legislator, and now as a U.S. Representative."

DeSaulnier is the first award recipient serving in Washington, D.C.

"The Park District thanks Representative Mark DeSaulnier for his leadership in obtaining critical funds in the Federal budget for expanding access to the outdoors and providing a welcoming space for visitors to learn the important history at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50," said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. "Representative DeSaunier has been a true partner and champion for the Park District throughout the years."

DeSaulnier is known for championing policies that promote sustainability and environmental protection, and mitigate the consequential effects of climate change. He led the effort to secure a $3 million Community Benefit Project application for a future Visitor Center at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50. The visitor center is envisioned as a joint facility with the National Park Service to provide outdoor recreational opportunities, connect the public with the natural and human history of the park, and serve as a welcoming center for NPS to share the history of events commemorated by the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial.

"The East Bay Regional Park District provides invaluable service to our community by creating opportunities for outdoor activity that benefit our physical and mental health, protecting the environment, and hosting wildlife educational programs," DeSaulnier said. "I am proud to have called the Park District a partner over many years in our efforts to ensure public access to parklands, preserve habitats, and share the history of our East Bay lands, and am honored to be recognized with the 2023 Radke Championing Advocacy Award."

The Radke Championing Advocacy Award is named for the late Park District Board Member Ted Radke, who advanced state and federal support for park funding. Former Director Radke strengthened the Park District’s ties in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Radke served 36 years on the Park District Board of Directors and was the longest-serving board member in its 89-year history.