Andrew Young, past president of the Contra Costa County Historical Society and a great contributor to many civic causes, will have a park in Alamo named in his memory in late May, 2006. The park is located on Danville Blvd & Jackson Way, one block north of Stone Valley Road across the street from the Alamo Plaza Shopping Center.

When we have a firm date and time for the dedication ceremony, we will publish it on the website. Below you will find a map of the park location.

If you want directions to the park, click here.

Here are a couple pictures of the park as it looks today:

The following article is taken from Andy's obituary in the Contra Costa Times, May 24, 2002.

When Andy Young spoke, people listened.

"He didn't pussyfoot around. He was very direct; he couldn't be bought off with sweet talk. He was very public-spirited," said John Henderson of Alamo Improvement Association's planning committee.

Andrew H. Young was Mr. Alamo, in many respects. In 1989, he was named Alamo citizen of the year for his tireless efforts to preserve the charm and integrity of his community. In 1977, Young, then a 65-year Alamo resident, was named San Ramon Valley citizen of the year for numerous other public-minded accomplishments.

Young died Monday at age 90, after decades of work to preserve and improve the area's parks, trees, hospitals and planning for growth. He served on many boards and commissions to help shape Contra Costa's growth, including a stint in 1980 as chairman of the county Planning Commission, and as a commissioner from 1977 to 1979 with the San Ramon Valley Area Planning Commission.

"He'd sort of show up everywhere," said San Ramon Valley Regional Planning Commissioner Mike Gibson. "He was always trying to help out. Everybody liked him, and everybody listened to him.

"He didn't soft-pedal anything, but he didn't force people who didn't agree with him."

Born in Boston, Young was the son of a clergyman. He graduated from Harvard in 1933 where he majored in economics, and moved to Lafayette in the late 1940s, his niece Barbara Vetterlein said.

Young was a World War II veteran, serving in the Pacific campaign where he assisted in the evacuation of the Chinese Fifth Army from North Vietnam. He retired in 1965 from active reserves as a Navy lieutenant commander.

Young's "hobby" was civic involvement, said Vetterlein, who thought of "Uncle Bud" as a father and a guiding force.

He worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. for 39 years, but his dedication to community is what left its mark. His participation in the Lafayette Local Government Study Committee in 1966-67 led to that city's incorporation in 1968. His Boulevard of Trees project replanted dying trees along Danville Boulevard in Alamo.

He was on the Tao House study committee in Danville and the steering committee for San Ramon Valley Regional Medical Center. He was an executive director for the Contra Costa County Historical Society, as well its president from 1985-1986 and also was a president of the Alamo Park Foundation.

"He did more (for Alamo) than anybody else I can think of," Henderson said.