The five Wilder Fields offer a spectacular backdrop for hosting a variety of Lamorinda sports, including soccer, baseball, lacrosse and rugby. The fields also include restrooms, a playground and the Art & Garden Center.
Wilder Fields, nestled in the hills on the fringes of the Wilder subdivision, consists of five athletic fields, children’s play areas, restrooms, parking spaces and the Art & Garden Center. The fields are host to a variety of Lamorinda sports, including rugby, baseball, lacrosse and soccer.
“We are basically the field source for the three cities,” said Todd Trimble, director of Orinda Parks and Recreation, with the fields seeing their heaviest use from soccer teams, such as Lamorinda Soccer Club, California Magic Soccer Club and East Bay Eclipse Soccer Club.
The facility was opened in phases, with the first two lighted synthetic turf fields available for use in 2012. Fields numbered 3, 4 and 5 are natural turf, with 5 designated for baseball and softball use only.
Fields Construction and Maintenance
Many Orindans may not know the history of how the Wilder Fields came into being.
“The construction of [and payment for] the fields and the Art & Garden Center was part of the development agreement between the Wilder developer and the City of Orinda,” said Mayor Darlene Gee.
“The amenities for the City and the public were part of the ‘deal’ of being allowed to build the homes,” she said.
In addition to that initial investment, each Wilder homeowner pays an annual assessment of around $2,000 each, totaling nearly $500,000 per year for Wilder Fields maintenance, including the restrooms, and $200,000 toward police coverage.
“The ongoing maintenance of the fields paid for by the Wilder residents was also a requirement of the development agreement – so, essentially the developer passed that cost on to the people buying homes in Wilder,” said Gee.
According to Orinda Administrative Services Director, Doug Alessio, this amount is based upon the City’s annual proposed maintenance costs and there is a maximum of $2,422 per parcel. These fees are a line item on each homeowner’s property tax bill. Maintenance of the Art & Garden Center is not included in these fees.
Wilder Fields Rental Revenues
“The Wilder Fields take in about $400,000 in rental fees each year,” said Director of Parks and Recreation, Todd Trimble.
“The Wilder Fields are hugely popular, and their rental is a key component of the City’s Parks and Recreation revenue, which in turn, helps fund our overall Parks and Rec programs,” said Gee.
While $400,000 might seem like a windfall for the City, Alessio said that there are additional costs – beyond typical maintenance – that these funds are used for. “We’ve had to replace the turf on both artificial fields. That cost us a million dollars each,” he said.
Wilder Fields Use Today
Jose Diaz Mercado, head coach for East Bay Eclipse Soccer Club, said his team first began playing on Wilder Fields around 2019.
“For me, as a coach, just having a facility with that much space has been very helpful,” he said. “There are three soccer clubs in the area, so having that many fields in just one single place has been great.”
Mercado coaches two teams, and the ability to conduct back-to-back practices in one location has made his job easier, he said. Eclipse uses Wilder from July to late November or early December, using it “once or twice” during the off season.
The early October heatwave didn’t put the brakes on Eclipse’s games.
“We did have that breeze, which was nice,” said Mercado of Wilder’s sometimes windy location. “Overall, it’s a great experience having the facility at our disposal.”
