This proposal was submitted to Councilperson Jane Brunner as well as Steven Huss, Acting Cultural Arts Programs Coordinator for the City of Oakland, in March of 2007.

CONCEPT:

An open, sunny, central location in the heart of the Temescal neighborhood has the potential to become a welcoming green space, with benches and public art, where Temescal neighbors of all ages can meet and interact with one another.

Phase I

Remove most of the concrete except for surrounding sidewalks and replace with grass, pathways, beds for planting and benches.

Benches, pathways and walls surrounding the beds are all potential locations for integrated art. 

Steven Huss has pointed out that integrating the art into the project from its inception would be considerably less expensive than adding it later. He has indicated that the Cultural Arts Department would like to be involved in the process from the beginning, to participate in the selection of artists and the design process.

Phase II

Expand this area into an even larger Public Commons by cutting off the end of Shattuck between 45th and 46th Streets and redirecting traffic.

Additional benches and planter boxes could be used to turn the co-opted area of Shattuck into a "Living Street."

Merits of the Location:

• a very wide intersection that allows for a lot of sun and views of the sky
• continues the Greenbelt; if you trace an axis from Frog Park to Clarke Park, through the Civiq Plaza and to the proposed site for this project, you have a kind of artery of parks and open space running from Temescal up through Rockridge
• almost directly in the center of 40th and 51st Streets, at the heart of the Temescal business district,
• would encourage pedestrian traffic, shoppers, down Telegraph Avenue from 51st Street
• historic significance as a gathering place for the over 75 years that Kasper's Hot Dogs has been in business

Open Space and Public Commons

In all of the community meetings that Council Member Brunner has held regarding neighborhood development, a recurring theme has been the need for open space and a public commons. Repeatedly, when defining community, people have defined it as having a place to gather, for people of all ages to interact and come together for community events. This project provides such a commons for the residents of Temescal!