In January 1958, brothers Ernie and George Sousa opened the Fairfield Bowl at 2030 N. Texas St. with a three-day christening. Local ads called it "Northern California's most modern and finest indoor recreational center." It had 16 maple lanes, automatic pinsetters, a billiard parlor, a coffee shop called the Apache Kitchen and a lounge called the Geronimo Room, which regulars shortened to the G-Room. Bowling champion Hank Lauman came to the grand opening, and the festivities went out live on Channel 13. Two weeks from today, on Thursday, November 19, the same address opens as Robbieburr Berger Park & Recreation Center, and the site goes back to the job it was built for.
What the bowling alley was for
The Fairfield Bowl drew in families on purpose. According to the Daily Republic's look back at the alley, it formed a housewives league to bring in women bowlers and offered free nursery care during the day, at night and on weekends. Fairfield High students went there for PE after the school opened in the early 1960s, and Armijo's Class of 1967 spent its all-night graduation party on the lanes.
Then the lot went quiet. The same account says Ernie Sousa sold the alley to the city as part of a redevelopment deal meant to bring in a U.S. Postal Service office. The post office was never built. The bowling alley came down in 2002, and the site sat vacant for about two decades.
How a vacant lot became Node 4A
The city's plan for the lot grew out of its work on the Linear Park Trail, which winds through Fairfield toward Solano Community College and already has playgrounds at 2nd and 5th Streets and a Rose Garden along the way. The old bowling site, on North Texas Street between Tabor and Pacific avenues, became the "Linear Park Trail Revitalization – Node 4A Project." The Daily Republic reported that an earlier state grant application lost out, and that state officials advised the city to leave the recreation building out of its next try.
The building stayed in the plan anyway. The Daily Republic's coverage of the groundbreaking described a $28 million project. Its funding included $10.4 million in local money, a $5.67 million Proposition 68 grant and a $2 million grant from First 5 Solano Children and Families. According to the Daily Republic, the groundbreaking took place on June 4, 2025. The city describes the project as a 4.43-acre site next to the Linear Park Trail. The timeline before that is less tidy. The Daily Republic's retrospective said construction on a youth-focused community center had started back in 2022, and two years later the community was still waiting.
Same address, same job
What opens on November 19 lines up closely with what the Sousas built in 1958.
| Fairfield Bowl, 1958 | Robbieburr Berger Park, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Main draw | 16 maple lanes, billiards, bowling instruction | Courts for basketball, futsal, volleyball and pickleball; full-size soccer fields; a running track |
| Kids | Free nursery care day, night and weekends | Two playgrounds, one for ages 2–5 and one for ages 5–12 |
| Family support | A housewives league to bring in women bowlers | First 5 Solano early childhood and parenting education in a 6,700-square-foot center |
| Opening day | Hank Lauman in person, live on Channel 13 | Ribbon cutting, a fire truck, and the Fairfield Police Department's Frosty 5-0 ice cream van |
The recreation center is where the comparison is closest. Under the city's agreement with First 5 Solano, the commission gets primary use of the building and the fenced outdoor play area next to it for at least 13 years. An April 7, 2026 city staff report says First 5 will use the center for early learning services and programs for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. The city adds that the center will connect residents with housing, employment, food assistance and health care resources. The Daily Republic reported that the First 5 grant supports a program modeled on the one First 5 runs in Vallejo.
The name on the sign
As the Daily Republic recounted, Robbieburr Berger moved to Fairfield in 1960 with her husband, an Air Force lieutenant colonel, and their four children. She was named Outstanding Volunteer of the Year for the Travis AFB Family Services Program two years running. She also worked as a Fairfield police radio dispatcher, served on the Capital Civic Improvement Committee that helped bring the Fairfield Civic Center to life, and was president of the Fairfield Fine Arts Council. She was elected to the City Council in 1972 and served one term. She was also an accomplished pianist and harpist.
The name was former Mayor Catherine Moy's idea. Speaking at the groundbreaking, she told the Daily Republic:
"Every park in Fairfield is named after a man, if it has a name ... This means a lot to me that it is happening in my tenure."
In the same report, Moy said she hoped the project would kick-start more improvements along North Texas Street, alongside the city's work downtown and on West Texas.
Opening day, Thursday, November 19
The Daily Republic's October 18 story said only that the opening would be on a "Thursday." The city's release and its events calendar both give Thursday, November 19. The event is free and family-friendly, and runs like this:
- 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Ribbon cutting ceremony.
- 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Explore and Play, with tours of the recreation center, a fire truck to explore, and the Frosty 5-0 ice cream van.
- Throughout the day: representatives from First 5 Solano partner agencies will be on hand to share information about their services.
The address is 2030 N. Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533. A weekday morning schedule suits families with kids who aren't in school yet, which is exactly who the First 5 center is built for.
What to know before your first visit
The city's park page at fairfield.ca.gov/robbie lists the amenities and the opening details. It doesn't yet post park hours, field lighting, or a booking process specific to the new soccer fields and courts. A few working details are already set in the First 5 agreement:
- Restrooms: the public restroom is managed by the city and can only be reached from outside, not through the recreation center.
- Parking: park visitors, people renting the facilities, and First 5 staff and program families all share one lot, first come, first served. The city doesn't guarantee spaces to anyone.
For teams thinking about spring, Fairfield's general ball field and court rental page says reservations open up to a year ahead and are made in person at the Fairfield Community Center. Picnic and park reservations go through the city's online park reservation system or by phone at (707) 428-7435.
The trail connects the rest of November
Since the park sits right on the Linear Park Trail, its first weeks overlap with some of Fairfield's biggest fall dates. The city's 2026 events calendar and Visit Fairfield list these:
- Wednesday, November 11: Veterans Day ceremony and concert at 10 a.m. at the Downtown Theatre, 1035 Texas St., then a 12:30 p.m. parade along Kentucky, Great Jones and Texas streets.
- Thursday, November 26: the 18th Annual Solano Turkey Trot at Solano Community College, 4000 Suisun Valley Road. The 10K starts at 8 a.m., the 5K at 8:20 a.m. and the Kids' Fun Run at 9:30 a.m.
- Saturday, November 28: the 26th Annual Jelly Belly Tree Lighting, 5:30 to 8 p.m. at 1 Jelly Belly Lane.
- Friday, December 4: the Downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony. The city's calendar has the date but no time yet.
For more on Fairfield's fall calendar, see our guide to the fall events most residents aren't using and our look at downtown evenings on the 700 block of Texas Street. Our Fairfield neighborhood page covers the rest of the city.
If you own a home near North Texas Street and want to see how changes like this park show up in local sales, Michael Hulsey & Associates can put together a custom report for your address. Get Your Free Home Valuation.
