Once a city-owned parking lot, now a privately owned space, this site has evolved into a lively hub for community, collaboration, and art.

The Healing Garden was born in 2020, during the uncertainty following George Floyd’s death and the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. When advised to board up their storefronts, local merchants took a different path—turning plywood into canvases and inviting artists to capture the emotions and resilience of our community.

Working with the West End Arts District (WEAD), volunteers transformed the space with succulents, fencing, picnic tables, and repurposed wine barrel tables. In June 2021, WEAD deepened the space’s creative roots by commissioning ten works from local LGBTQ and BIPOC artists for a permanent outdoor collection at its center.

Now, in 2025, as Webster Street celebrates its 150th anniversary, the West Alameda Business Association is looking ahead. The Healing Garden’s original purpose—born in a time of crisis—is now five years behind us. While the world is still changing, our community is stronger, more connected, and ready for a name that reflects our present and future as much as our past.

That’s why we are proud to rename this space Webster Park—a title that pays homage to our street’s namesake, Daniel Webster, whose fiery spirit and gift for bringing people together mirror our own mission. Like Webster, we stand for dialogue, unity, and the belief that shared spaces can strengthen the bonds of a community.

Webster Park will continue to be a place for connection, creativity, and celebration—only now with a name that reflects the enduring character of West Alameda and the vibrant vision we hold for the years ahead. As we honor the past, we embrace the present, and we open the door to a future full of art, music, laughter, and shared experience in the heart of our district.