Payment Changes at Ardenwood and Quarry Lakes
- The East Bay Regional Park District said Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont will go cashless for on-site fees on April 29, joining Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area’s credit-card-only system. - Visitors at the affected parks can pay with major credit cards and tap-to-pay, and the district said a 30-day grace period will accompany the April 29 rollout. - The change expands a pilot that began at Quarry Lakes in October 2024 and fits a districtwide push toward cashless fee collection. (ebparks.org)
Ardenwood Historic Farm will stop taking cash for on-site fees on April 29, as East Bay Regional Park District expands cashless payment to five more parks. (contracosta.news) Ardenwood in Fremont is on the new list, alongside Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area, Don Castro Regional Recreation Area, Diablo Foothills Regional Park and Temescal Regional Recreation Area, the district said April 24. (contracosta.news) Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area in Fremont was already operating under a cashless pilot, and its park page now says, “Quarry Lakes is cashless,” with credit card and tap-to-pay accepted at the kiosk. (ebparks.org 1) (ebparks.org 2) The district said the April 29 expansion comes with a 30-day grace period and applies to on-site user fees where charged, including parking, boating and daily fishing permits. (contracosta.news) For visitors, the practical change is simple: bring a card or phone wallet instead of cash. The district said all major credit cards and tap-to-pay methods will be accepted. (contracosta.news) The move also lands after the district simplified many parking charges. East Bay Regional Park District set a flat $5 parking fee at parks with kiosks in 2025, replacing a range that had run from $3 to $6. (ebparks.org) At Quarry Lakes, the current posted fees include $5 parking per vehicle, $5 for a trailered vehicle, $25 for buses, and beach access at $5 for adults ages 18 to 61. (ebparks.org) Park officials have framed the payment shift as an operations decision. The district said the goal is to improve efficiency and that it plans to become cashless over time at facilities that have the infrastructure to do it. (contracosta.news) The district said 23 regional parks charge user fees, and those fees generate about $5.7 million a year, or roughly 2% of its operating budget. (contracosta.news) Visitors who still want a cash-free way to avoid kiosk payments can use an annual parking pass that comes with a Regional Parks Foundation membership, which also includes free admission to Ardenwood on non-event days. (ebparks.org) For Fremont visitors heading to Ardenwood or Quarry Lakes this week, the district’s message is narrower than a fee increase: the parks still charge, but the kiosk no longer wants bills. (contracosta.news)
