Celebrate the Transformation of Lake Merritt at Love Our Lake Day on Sunday, June 9 [2013] Come play in car-free streets & parks transformed through Measure DD! Oakland, CA – On June 9, enjoy a fun-packed Sunday around Lake Merritt as Love Our Lake Day celebrates Oakland’s investment through Measure DD that has transformed the lake. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., pedal or stroll around the lake and explore the surrounding neighborhoods in a family-friendly setting at Oaklavía - Oakland Sunday Streets. The free, festive event will enrich three miles of car-free streets with recreational and cultural activities. At 2 p.m., join Mayor Jean Quan and representatives from the Measure DD Community Coalition on the south end of the lake for the Lake Merritt Boulevard Grand Opening Celebration showcasing a beautiful new amphitheater and four-acre park. “A little over a decade ago, Oakland voters made an historic decision to invest in Oakland: in our natural beauty, our environment and our creeks, lakes and estuaries,” Mayor Jean Quan said. “Love Our Lake Day is a great way for residents and visitors to experience first-hand how the many voter-approved Measure DD improvements have transformed Lake Merritt and its surrounding parkland. I thank the Measure DD Community Coalition and Oakland voters for supporting clean water and safe parks. The new pathways and bridges make walking and biking around Oakland’s crown jewel safer, easier and more fun!” Oaklavía by the Lake will close three miles of streets around Lake Merritt to vehicular traffic to make way for pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy a day of family-friendly fun. Over 40 separate activities are planned throughout the day to get folks out of their cars and enjoy Oakland’s beautiful climate while exploring Lake Merritt, Lakeside Park and surrounding neighborhoods. A sampling of the performances and interactive activities includes salsa dancing, Taiko drumming, martial arts, sports, a bike rodeo, yoga, hula hooping, belly dancing and free bike rentals (with credit card deposit). Event goers can also paddle and pedal the lake in kayaks, pedal boats or just enjoy the ride on pontoons and gondolas. Some rides are free and some are for a small charge. Bring cash and ID’s to rent. Some of Oakland’s renowned food trucks will be on hand to provide tasty treats to fuel revelers as they progress around the lake. At 2 p.m., a festive dedication ceremony will be held on the south end of the lake to celebrate the grand opening of Lake Merritt Boulevard (formerly 12th street), home to a sparkling new amphitheater and four-acre park. Mayor Quan will be joined by Council President Patricia Kernighan and representatives from the Measure DD Community Coalition to mark the completion of this major transformative milestone. The dedication ceremony will be co-emceed by Coalition leaders James E. Vann and Naomi Schiff. Leading up to and immediately following the formal dedication program, local artists – including a brass quintet from the Oakland East Bay Symphony – will offer music, dance and other live performances. In addition, information booths and photographs will highlight the many transformative projects brought about by Measure DD, the $198 million bond for Clean Water & Safe Parks passed by Oakland voters in November 2002. This $47 million phase of Measure DD improve ments at the south end of Lake Merritt saw the removal of the 12th Street dam, culverts and twelve-lane roadway and the creation of a new six-lane, tree-lined boule vard and free-span bridge that better accommodate park users, pedestrians, bicyclists and wildlife. This work allowed for the re-opening of a 750-foot section of the Lake Merritt Channel which had been restricted by man-made structures since 1869. Restoration of the 100-foot-wide tidal channel included improvements for water qua lity and wildlife habitat and creation of a new two-thirds-of-an-acre tidal marsh. The Measure DD channel restoration work has increased tidal flow by 50 percent to help mix and oxygenate the lake’s water and provide more tidal flushing. Tidal flushing improves the water habitat for fish and birds. In addition, vegetated swales and water quality basins further improve water quality by filtering stormwater before it reaches the lake. New pathways under the vehicular bridge and a new pedestrian bridge across the channel allow walkers, joggers and bicyclists to safely loop around Lake Merritt. The new recreational trail will eventual connect to the San Francisco Bay Trail. This phase closes the gap in the existing Necklace of Lights with the addition of 11 new lampposts and will also include a public art element. The art installation will be a series of light-based sculptures created by Oakland-based artists Todd Blair and John Colle Rogers mounted along the pedestrian pathway walls flanking the channel underthe 12th Street bridge. Love Our Lake Day participants can access event activities and performance schedules on their mobile phones at tndrbox/loveourlake, on the event’s website loveourlakeday or by calling (510) 444-CITY. The event is accessible by BART (Lake Merritt, 12th Street/City Center and 19th Street stations) and several AC Transit bus lines. Public transit is encouraged and transit planning information is available at 511.org or by dialing 511. Love Our Lake Day is presented by the City of Oakland, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland and Measure DD Community Coalition. Event sponsors include the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, PG&E, AT&T, BART, AC Transit, East Bay Express, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Clif Bar, TransForm, Lake Merritt – Uptown District Association and Sierra Club as well as other in-kind contributors. About Measure DD: In November 2002, the voters of Oakland passed a bond measure known as Measure DD – the Oakland Trust for Clean Water and Safe Parks. This $198 million bond has funded a variety of projects throughout Oakland including renovation of the historic Municipal Boathouse, Lake Merritt Pergola, East 18th Street Pier and Studio One Art Center. Measure DD funds have also supported the 66th Avenue Gateway project, the new Union Point Park, creation of waterfront trails, creek restorations, the Lakeshore/El Embarcadero project, a new indoor pool and fitness center in East Oakland, several projects at Children’s Fairyland, water quality improvements and the transformative project on the south end of Lake Merritt. Additional projects are planned including the Lakeside Green Streets project near Snow Park, Sailboat House Shoreline project, Bellevue Avenue project and Lake Merritt Channel Improvements at 10th Street. City of Oakland staff has leveraged Measure DD funds with nearly $49 million in grants and outside funding sources. For more details and updates on Measure DD progress, visit oaklandnet/measuredd. A time-lapse video of the Lake Merritt Boulevard project from January 2011 – November 2012 photographed by Erik Niemann can be found on YouTube: youtube/watch?v=CUpEXD1-e-M&feature=youtu.be For images to accompany editorial coverage, please visit: www2.oaklandnet/News/a/OaklandintheNews/OAK041140
Posted on: Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:56:13 +0000
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