BUILDING A COMMUNity CenTer with heart
Transforming the Old McPhail Site to Enrich our Community
BUILDING A COMMUNity CenTer with heart
Transforming the Old McPhail Site to Enrich our Community
Volunteer For "Clean Out the School Day"
AUGUST 29 and 30, 2026
We are actively seeking volunteers to help with the next phase of our journey - clean out the school days. Before anything can come down, we will be donating 30 years of surplus school items, such as desks and chairs, recycling what we can, and getting ready for demo. Sign up below to get involved. For those interested, we'll also need a group of Volunteer Team Captains to help plan the event. Let us know if you can help!
A community Center For the Common Good
The Big Idea: Santa Venetia Commons
Santa Venetia Commons is more than an idea. It’s the future for families, students, artists, and dreamers. It’s a transformation of the abandoned McPhail School site into a community center and a cultural and recreational destination for Marin County. Edging the unique wetlands on San Pablo Bay, the center will enrich our community with multi-generational activities and spaces for the arts, music, events, youth programs, and learning. From creative studios and summer concerts to teen programs, senior socials, and wildlife education, Santa Venetia Commons will be anything but common.
Where Nature and Nurture are in Harmony
We envision the site to be a community gathering, events, art, recreation, and entertainment space . Where neighbors, residents, students, and groups can connect, play, and embrace the beauty of the wetlands. Where families gather, seniors stay connected, and kids meet up for bike rides and wildlife walks. Where homage is made to the Miwoks. Where the community can find locally based services, arts, culture, education, and wellness programs.
The Spirit of Community Is Alive
Together, Pazala Foundation, Santa Venetia Community Center, and the Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association have ambitious ideas on how to transform the long-vacant property into a community center, park, and cultural destination. We will be ramping up our fundraising and volunteer efforts to take this project to its next phase. This will be a labor of love, a journey of many, and a true collaboration to see the McPhail site evolve into something exceptional.
Everything is Possible If We Come Together
Help make Santa Venetia Commons a reality as we begin planning for design and construction. Be part of a legacy that will change the way we build community with our hands and hearts. Your donation - big or small - will support our fundraising efforts.