Memorial Park Specific Plan

Cupertino, CA

Memorial Park has been at the heart of community recreation and civic-focused events in Cupertino for many decades. This beloved 22-acre site is the largest park in the city, attracting residents and visitors with its amphitheater, playgrounds, picnic areas, community centers, sports amenities, large lawns, and mature trees. After the system-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan was adopted in 2020, the City of Cupertino aimed to follow the Plan’s recommendations to improve circulation, infrastructure, and accessibility at this popular community hub and create a comprehensive vision for revitalizing Memorial Park.

GATES led a multidisciplinary team to develop the Memorial Park Specific Plan—a set of recommendations to enhance the park’s unique identity and sense of place while maintaining a balance between the built and natural environments. During a multi-round public outreach process that included virtual and in-person activities, we collected valuable community input about park needs, amenity priorities, and other important topics. We heard the community desired a park design that combined a variety of recreation options, such as pickleball and softball, with expanded opportunities for play, social gathering, and the enjoyment of nature. Using this input along with guidance from the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council, GATES developed a community-preferred design for the park that enhanced existing features and proposed new amenities to improve the overall visitor experience. The Specific Plan introduced a passive garden walk, nature and all-abilities playgrounds, basketball and pickleball courts, and restrooms, and outlined upgrades to pathways, the softball field, and the amphitheater. Serving as a comprehensive roadmap for stakeholders and decision-makers, the Memorial Park Specific Plan aimed to ensure this beloved and well-known community park remains an active, safe, and accessible public resource well into the future.

The plan was adopted by City Council in 2024.

Aerial image of Memorial Park in Cupertino, CA

Key Considerations

Creating a Community-Driven Plan

Over 3,300 people provided valuable input about their favorite park features, prioritized potential new amenities, and explored other important topics during community outreach events held both in-person and virtually. Three rounds of outreach and data from the 2020 Parks & Recreation Master Plan showed that the community wants Memorial Park to be:easy to get to and move through, include distinctive spaces for social activities, offer a wide variety of engaging recreation options in a nature-oriented setting, and support a healthy, cohesive community in a manner that is uniquely Cupertino.

Community Events Focus

One of the biggest takeaways from community outreach was just how important events and festivals are to Memorial Park’s identity. Most people said they visit the park to attend celebrations like the Cherry Blossom Festival, Shakespeare in the Park, or local concerts. To support these popular gatherings, the plan focuses on making event spaces more comfortable, flexible, and accessible. It includes upgrades to the amphitheater, expanded picnic areas, a new central event plaza, and open lawns that can be used for everything from large festivals to everyday recreation. These improvements help ensure the park can continue hosting events for years to come, while also creating inviting spaces for all kinds of daily use.

Cultural Features + Legacy Amenities

The design of the Memorial Park Specific Plan was guided by a strong community desire to protect the park’s most meaningful and well-loved features. Cultural elements like the Veterans Memorial, historic gazebo, memorial trees, and stone lanterns are being preserved and lightly refreshed to improve their setting and visibility. Popular amenities such as the Quinlan Community Center, Senior Center, and lighted softball field also stay in place, with targeted improvements to enhance their use. The amphitheater—Cupertino’s only public stage—will be expanded and upgraded to better support performances and community events. Overall, the plan strikes a balance between honoring the park’s legacy and making thoughtful updates for the future.