Page One

Three public meetings will be held on allocation of Measure WW funding for three neighborhood parks. Strawberry Creek Park will be the subject of the first meeting scheduled for Wednesday January 21 at 6:30 PM in the Green Room of the Corp Yard at 1326 Allston Way.

Willard Park Play Area will be discussed on Saturday January 24 at 10 AM at the Corp Yard, followed by the Marin Circle meeting on Wednesday January 28 at 6:30 PM at the Live Oak Park Community Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue at Berryman. 

The meetings are planned as discussions between neighbors and staff, not formal public hearings. The funding is a grant from the 2008 East Bay Regional Parks District bond. 

Foxtails at Cesar Chavez Park 

Cesar Chavez Park is currently being studied, with comments sought on a biological assessment by Dr. James Martin on vegetation management options to deal with the foxtail problem at the off-leash dog park. 

Last summer’s growth of foxtails prompted user demands for further mowing, so the City asked Martin, who wrote an assessment in 1997 before the 17 acre dog park was established, to revisit the site and propose some alternatives for dealing with the nasty grasses, which can cause painful and expensive damage to canine visitors. 

The alternatives he suggests include no change, intensive mowing, increased management, and reconfigured footprint (moving the park to the southeast corner). These alternatives could be adapted and combined and others can be proposed, so user input, both from dog walkers and other visitors, will be valuable in determining how to proceed. 

Comments are due by Wednesday January 21 and should be sent to Roger Miller, Secretary of the Parks and Waterfront Commission, rmiller@cityofberkeley.info. 

Gift Opportunities  

Following Council action in October 2014, the donation policy has been expanded to allow for monetary contributions to specific parks budget accounts that the City uses to purchase items such as trees, equipment, landscaping, benches, picnic tables, fountains and other improvements. Donations over $3,400 may include a commemorative plaque or sponsorship signage. 

The accounts include the following funds: parks, camps, marina, nature center, and benches. Charitable contributions to governmental units are tax-deductible under section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code if made for a public purpose. 

There is no limit on the amount that can be donated. So if anybody has a spare $5 million to rebuild the Willard Swim Center and rename it, please contact Scott Ferris at the Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Department.