From Council Member Nikki Bas
Sustainable, Healthy Use of Lake Merritt Pilot Program Beginning This Weekend
The issues at Lake Merritt are complex, with groups having different needs and perspectives, all of which are important and that we are working to honor -- families and elders facing challenging issues living at the Lake, entrepreneurs / vendors of color seeking economic stability during uncertain times, park users, and wildlife conservationists. In a recent update, I shared the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission / PRAC’s recommendations for sustainable use of Lake Merritt, which sought to balance the two perspectives below:
We welcome your feedback. We are grateful to the City Administrator’s Office, City Departments, James “Old School” Copes, Oakland Black Vendors Association, and PRAC Commissioners for helping make this pilot happen quickly and supporting multiple, complex interests.
In addition, the Downtown Streets Team, has relaunched its Oakland Team to support unhoused individuals providing them with work beautifying Lake Merritt, including litter pick up around the Lake. In return for their volunteer services, Team Members receive a basic-needs stipend, case management, employment services, and a support network. Team Members are giving back to Oakland while working to overcome barriers to housing and employment. You may see the team beautifying the lake as they relaunch their program this month.
Nikki Bas
Sustainable, Healthy Use of Lake Merritt Pilot Program Beginning This Weekend
The issues at Lake Merritt are complex, with groups having different needs and perspectives, all of which are important and that we are working to honor -- families and elders facing challenging issues living at the Lake, entrepreneurs / vendors of color seeking economic stability during uncertain times, park users, and wildlife conservationists. In a recent update, I shared the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission / PRAC’s recommendations for sustainable use of Lake Merritt, which sought to balance the two perspectives below:
- What is going on around the Lake is not sustainable and must change ASAP.
- People need healthy outdoor places to gather and engage in commercial activity, especially during these unprecedented times.
We welcome your feedback. We are grateful to the City Administrator’s Office, City Departments, James “Old School” Copes, Oakland Black Vendors Association, and PRAC Commissioners for helping make this pilot happen quickly and supporting multiple, complex interests.
In addition, the Downtown Streets Team, has relaunched its Oakland Team to support unhoused individuals providing them with work beautifying Lake Merritt, including litter pick up around the Lake. In return for their volunteer services, Team Members receive a basic-needs stipend, case management, employment services, and a support network. Team Members are giving back to Oakland while working to overcome barriers to housing and employment. You may see the team beautifying the lake as they relaunch their program this month.
Nikki Bas
From Council Member Bas:
Here is a summary of short and longer-term work at the Lake that my office is leading together with the City Administration, multiple city departments, PRAC and community members. Our goals are public health and safety, as well as equity and inclusion at our parks.
Here is a summary of short and longer-term work at the Lake that my office is leading together with the City Administration, multiple city departments, PRAC and community members. Our goals are public health and safety, as well as equity and inclusion at our parks.
- Ongoing COVID operations -- PARKING/TRAFFIC: Street closures of Lakeshore southbound and El Embarcadero, and parking enforcement to help minimize overcrowding and illegal parking. TRASH: We’ve expanded collection during the summer, added cardboard containers and will add new large capacity trash compactors next month. SANITATION: We’re maintaining porta-potties and hand washing stations along Lakeshore; by the end of the year, we plan to renovate the Astro Park bathroom with funds I secured in our city budget together with community leaders. EDUCATION/ENFORCEMENT: Municipal Code Officers educate vendors about complying with required licenses and fees and have been issuing citations for unpermitted vending. Police officers educate the public about compliance with parking, noise and other issues. Read more in this PRAC report, starting on page 7.
- Park Ambassadors/Community Ambassadors -- Last year, I called for the creation of Park Ambassadors to help provide information and education to park users. During COVID, these teams were created and have been providing park users with masks, PPE, and engagement on safety and health. Longer-term, we can build off and expand this model. We are also developing a Community Ambassador program to help engage with folks at the Lake. We have received interest from neighbors, volunteers with the Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Council and other community groups and hope to pilot a program that includes community building and conflict resolution.
- “Reimagined” Park Rangers to support responsible and equitable park usage -- Despite the city’s efforts to enforce illegal parking and unpermitted vending through education and citations, we know that more needs to be done to address serious neighborhood issues including: Essential healthcare workers who can’t sleep due to late night noise. Seniors who don’t feel safe walking the Lake during COVID due to overcrowding. Families who walk out their doors to find urination, defecation, and litter/trash on the streets, sidewalks, and pathways around our Lake. I am committed to advocating for Park Rangers, exploring a new model for what safety at the Lake and other parks could look like in our changing and growing city, through the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, which I co-chair. Park Rangers would be dedicated to building relationships at city parks and working with neighbors and community members to address issues, with training that includes conflict mediation and restorative justice.
- Longer-term programming at major parks -- The Lake is home to so many wonderful activities, from dancing, to music, vending, picnics, 5ks and BBQs. There is so much opportunity in creating safe and permitted options for residents to enjoy our city’s most visited public park and to improve and program other major parks across the city. I’m advocating for regular programming at our major parks across the city to provide safe, outdoor activities for our community members at Lake Merritt and other major parks.
- Longer-term outdoor markets across the city -- Since last year, my office has been advocating for a vending pilot project to move and better regulate the vending currently taking place in the park on Lakeshore. I support the PRAC Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendation to move current vending from the park to a City street or lot, such as El Embarcadero, Lakeview Library Lot or Kaiser Convention Center Lot, as well as to create a pilot program with vendors that supports our Black and Brown entrepreneurs during today’s economic recession. Models for community-based markets already exist. I recently joined the launch of the Akoma Market in East Oakland, organized by the Black Cultural Zone. This weekly outdoor market of local Black and Brown vendors, art and music is vibrant, organized and COVID-safe with temperature checks, free testing, mask requirements, physical distancing and sanitation. It’s one of several models to build off across the city.