Located along Santa Barbara’s waterfront between West Cabrillo Boulevard and West Mason Street, Ambassador Park consists of a palm-tree lined, half-acre open turf area, a vestige of its history as the pedestrian promenade to the Potter and then Ambassador Hotels. The land was gifted to the City in 1924 and the Park designated a City Landmark in 1990. Prior to European contact and subsequent development, the Park site and surrounding land featured a hillock known as Burton's Mound, a creek, springs, and mineral pools which supported the historic Syuxtun Village, the largest Chumash village on the west coast.
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is working in partnership with the California State Coastal Conservancy and Chumash community members to develop plans for the redevelopment of Ambassador Park to celebrate and honor Chumash cultural heritage and improve access and usage of the park. Design elements are based on site location and environmental and cultural resource constraints. The draft conceptual plan seeks to maintain openness, enhance views, foster passive recreational use through walking paths, provide a gathering place, and promote greater understanding of Chumash history and culture through park elements, interpretive panels, and landscaping.
With the conceptual design phase complete, the City recently received a $240,000 grant from the Coastal Conservancy to take the next step of the project, including continuing to work with Chumash Community members to finalize the design, sharing the project through community open houses, and submitting the project for land development review and required permits.