park, and the area deteriorated for many years. The area around 4th & T became known as "Hooker Hollow" and the park became a haven for drug use and crime. Since the 1970s, neighbors have been working to clean up the park and surrounding area, and in recent years, the city has invested in improvements, such as the clubhouse, the playground, and the improved lakeshore landscaping and fence. Criminal activity is greatly reduced and the park is popular with families. The lake is precious habitat for wildlife, including fish, birds, turtles, crayfish, and more. There are just over 300 trees in the park, representing over forty species. Southside Park mural The multi-panel mural on the Amphitheater was originally painted in 1977 by members of the Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF), a long-time Sacramento group of Chicano artists and activists. The contributing artists were Juan Cervantes (artist), Lorraine Garcia-Nakata, José Montoya, Juanishi Orosco, Stan Padilla, Sam Rios, and Esteban Villa. Measuring 14 feet x 110 feet (25,000 square feet), the mural features themes related to the Mexican and Chicano heritage of many Southside neighborhood residents, including Pre-Columbian motifs such as the Aztec eagle, images from Mexican revolutionary history, the work of the United Farm Workers union, and indigenous cultures of the Americas. The mural was restored in 2001. RCAF member Esteban Villa returned to sing at a neighborhood event in the park in 2010. Points of interest Southside Park - City of Sacramento Parks and Recreation Site Verge Center for the Arts References External links City of Sacramento Historic District Map - Southside Park South Side Historic District Neighborhoods in Sacramento, California