I’ve got good and bad news and the contrast between the one and the other is so glaring, I couldn’t resist. Let us begin on a positive note with…

The Very Best News

Work on Kwik Way has resumed and the blighted conditions we’ve lived with for [...]]]> Splash Pad Newsletter
The Good News/Bad News Edition
July 24, 2010

I’ve got good and bad news and the contrast between the one and the other is so glaring, I couldn’t resist. Let us begin on a positive note with…

The Very Best News

Work on Kwik Way has resumed and the blighted conditions we’ve lived with for the past couple of years are at long last, being abated as evidenced by this photo taken Thursday afternoon. Gary Rizzo, who owns Somerset on College, is continuing with his plans to restore the building; add outside seating and landscaping; and offer a variety of good quality comfort foods from early in the morning until late in the evening.

Council member Pat Kernighan played a key role in making this happen by helping to negotiate an impasse between Mr. Rizzo and the Planning Department. One of the conditions that was never on the table, however, was a drive-thru window. That was the fly in the ointment that earlier derailed the proposed McDonald’s franchise as well as the one for Fatburger.

It was an agonizingly long wait for a tenant, but I’m predicting that the delay will be well worth it as Lake Park Avenue will ultimately end up being a far more attractive, community-serving, pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare than it would have otherwise.

Three doors up the street, work is continuing on the Cuban parlor & cafe that will be called Cana. (Editors note: Please pretend that there’s a tilde over that “n”. It took me five years to figure out how to do that on my computer keyboard, but apparently html is a different matter). I took this photograph of Yusuf Spears (one of the two owners) as he experimented with a sealer on the brick wall that until two days earlier, had been covered in plaster.

I was especially excited to learn that Cana is going to apply for an encroachment permit that will allow them to set up a sidewalk seating area. In doing so, they will be taking advantage of the sidewalk widening on that stretch of Lake Park that’s planned for early next year as a part of the $1.2 million, Lakeshore Complete Streets Project.

One more key improvement project on Lake Park was the painting of the Grand Lake Theatre. This photo really doesn’t do it justice. In an article in the SF Chronicle owner, Allen Michaan, pegged the cost of the paint job at $170,000. Kudos to Allen for making this commitment to maintaining the theatre which physically anchors the entire neighborhood.

Last month I reported that Taste of Joy was closed. I’m very happy to report that they’ve since re-opened and executive chef, Brian Hill is once again serving up delectable ribs, gumbo and other New Orleans specialties.

Over on Lakeshore, Adam’s Burger has been leased and a major remodel is already underway. I’m told it will be a gourmet burger joint with meat likely ground on site. Owners are the same folks who own Flavors of India. A former owner of Citron is involved with restaurant design and menu planning. One new feature will be outdoor seating which will be accommodated by moving the front door in by six feet. Sounds like a winner, does it not!

Across the street (next to Silver Lining Jewelry), a shop is in the offing that will specialize in high end bed linens.

I‘ve got still more really good news: Our neighborhood merchants and restauranteurs have been reeling in all kinds of awards and free publicity.

An article in the June 27 New York Times singled out four Oakland restaurants for high praise. Two are right here on Grand Avenue–Camino and Boot & Shoe Service.

Both of the above were also amongst the seven Grand Lake businesses that were honored in last week’s East Bay Express “Best of the Bay” edition.

• Boot & Shoe (Best Nouvelle Pizza)
• Camino (Best Use of a Fireplace)
• Lanesplitter Pizza (Best Emerging Pizza Chain)
• Grand Lake Farmers Market (Best Farmers Market)
• Walden Pond (Best Bookstore)
• Grand Tavern (Best Unidentifiable Veggies)
• Heart and Dagger Saloon (Best Former Dive Bar)

Although they aren’t in the immediate neighborhood, I also have to mention two “graduates” of the Grand Lake Market:

• Phat Matt’s BBQ (Best Peach Cobbler and Pecan Pie)
• Souley Vegan (Best Vegan Food)

While we’re on the subject, I’d encourage you to put the Best of the East Bay Party on your calendar for August 6. I’m told it’s a great way to meet girls so (from 5 until you’ll find me behind the bar serving beer and wine for the California One Foundation. As an additional perk, I take home a free T-shirt.

There are a few other things going on in the Grand Lake business district that are worth noting:

Jean Quan has established a campaign office at 3237 Grand (next to Urban Furniture) while the Meg Whitman campaign has opened one at 3217 Lakeshore–next to Subway Sandwich. Just up the block, Izek Day Spa Salon at 3319 Lakeshore has (at their own expense) installed a raised planter around the tree well in front of their shop. I think it looks fabulous. If you agree and are so inclined, pop your head in and tell Jacqueline Thomas (the owner) that you appreciate her efforts.

Although it’s well outside my usual beat, I have to give a plug for Garden Hortica since one of my neighbors on Balfour is a part owner. It’s on a small plot on 7th Street at the base of Highway 24. They boast a great selection of cacti and exotic Australian natives. Jeffrey tells me they will be having an open house today (July 24) from 2 to 5 featuring free hot dogs and hamburgers.

Last, but certainly not least on my extended list of good news is that last month’s Fiber Festival in Splash Pad Park was a huge success and a repeat performance is looming (sorry for that) in the future. If you want a taste of what transpired, check out my Flickr photo set and/or read the recap I wrote for Oakland Local. The latter was never published as it arrived late amidst a flurry of news about the Oscar Grant verdict and subsequent demonstration with the coup de grace delivered by a crazed gunman from Groveland.

The Bad News

The previous sentence provides a fitting segue for our list of bad news. Topping that list is Oakland’s continuing budget crisis which necessitated the layoff of eighty of our least senior police officers. In addition, our Problem Solving Officers have been reassigned to patrol as was the Grand Lake Walking Beat Officer, Jeff Tom, who grew up in the neighborhood and attended Crocker Highlands School.

In addition, five Neighborhood Service Coordinators are supposedly scheduled for pink slips. One of them, Hoang Banh, has been working the Grand Lake neighborhood for about five years. She’s one of the most dedicated and effective public servants I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. Those of us who have been actively involved in community organizing will have a much tougher row to hoe if she is, in fact, laid off.

To further complicate matters, there has been a rash of daytime robberies in this area–mostly east of Lakeshore in the Lakeshore Homes district. Victims have all been women (two with children) with the exception of one older gentleman who was robbed in the Trader Joe’s parking lot after withdrawing a substantial sum of cash. These incidents actually began well before the police layoffs and are unfortunately continuing with at least two different sets of perpetrators. Best advice is to be cautious and aware of your surroundings.

If you’re interested in keeping tabs on what’s going on in precincts 14Y and 16X (above 580 from about Oakland Avenue to Park Blvd), I’d highly recommend becoming a member of the Grand Lake Yahoo Group. There isn’t really a lot of traffic and messages typically range from crime reports to missing pets to noise complaints. If you’re interested in joining, contact Grand Lake Neighbors Chair, David Flack at mdavidflack@yahoo.com.

You may also want to attend a community meeting called by Pat Kernighan specifically to discuss how OPD and the community can work together to prevent any further street robberies . It’s scheduled for Wednesday, July 28, at 6:30pm at Barnett Hall (next to Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church). Area 2 Commander Paul Figueroa will be participating.

Unfortunately, we have more bad news on a very different front. In the June Newsletter, I mentioned that three of the Canary Palms in Splash Pad Park were in obvious distress. The Tree Services division of Public Works hired an arborist to examine and test these trees. According to her report, all three tested positive for Fusarium Wilt–a highly contagious and invariably fatal fungal infection. As this photo graphically demonstrates, the fungus is rapidly exacting its toll. Plans are to post all three palms for removal as required.

Most common means of infection for the Canary Palms is through infected cutting tools, but any kind of damage leaves an open wound that invites infection. The success of the Farmers Market is therefore a bit problematic. You can help out in a small way by keeping kids from swinging on the fronds to the point that they break and also diplomatically ask anyone poised to prune back a frond that they absolutely shouldn’t be doing so.

Upcoming Events

The upcoming events section logically should have been grouped with the good news but this way we end on a positive bent.

Paula Wirth is an Oakland photographer best known, I think, for documenting local events including the Indie Awards. Paula has helped organize an exhibit of Oakland images at Woody’s Cafe on Park Blvd. across from the Parkway Theater. Oakland Lost & Found features the work of seven talented photographers and is open through August 18.

As an aside (speaking of photographs), yours truly is now officially an award-winning photographer thanks to the photo contest sponsored by the Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau.

No, the awards are not going to my head–well, maybe just a little bit. Realistically, I think I fared better than some far superior photographers by knowing what they didn’t want. Photos of the San Francisco skyline–even if they were taken from Oakland–had to be toxic. The same with photos of graffiti and other urban grit. Basically, they were looking for images that make Oakland look attractive and interesting. What’s really great is that precious little effort is required to do so.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe will be performing “Posibilidad” or “Death of the Worker” at Lakeside Park on August 4 and 5 with music beginning at 6:30. For a complete list of performances at other locations, visit their website at www.sfmt.org.

National Night Out is August 3 from 7 to 9PM. Grand Avenue will not be participating so this is a perfect opportunity to organize a neighborhood block party if you don’t already have one scheduled. You can register online anytime before this coming Monday at 5 PM.

Best of the East Bay Party in Jack London Square on August 6 beginning at 5 PM.

The Art and Soul Festival in downtown Oakland August 21 and 22.

If you have friends or neighbors who may be interested in receiving this newsletter, please forward this link: www.splashpad.org/mostrecent.html and invite them to subscribe by sending an email to info@splashpad.org.

In Attendance: David Flack, Chair; Hoang Banh, Neighborhood Services Coordinator;

Police Captain Figueroa, Area 2; Pat Kernighan, Councilmember, District 2.

I. Police Captain Figueroa

Captain Figueroa introduced himself. Over a dozen Oakland police officers where in attendance as well and were introduced.

A. Beat 16X/14Y Updates on Crime.

Beat 16X PSO Hackenberg was not [...]]]> David Flack called the meeting to order

In Attendance: David Flack, Chair; Hoang Banh, Neighborhood Services Coordinator;

Police Captain Figueroa, Area 2; Pat Kernighan, Councilmember, District 2.

I. Police Captain Figueroa

Captain Figueroa introduced himself. Over a dozen Oakland police officers where in attendance as well and were introduced.

A. Beat 16X/14Y Updates on Crime.

Beat 16X PSO Hackenberg was not in attendance, but provided a report of activities for June. Most notably, a homeless encampment in the 600 block of Trestle Glen was addressed by patrol. There has been a rash of auto and home burglaries. Since the homeless encampment was discovered and abated, the burglaries have dropped.

B. Police Captain Figueroa discussed crime issues in Area 2, and the major directives of our new Police Chief Batts.

• Reduce 911 Call Response Times:

One of the directives from the chief of police is to reduce response time of 911 calls. The new motto is “we will be there when you need us”. Several neighbors discussed specific incidences regarding frustration with response time by police. Capt. Figueroa acknowledged that the current response time is unacceptable. Current averages for OPD are in the 15 minutes range, while 5-6 minutes is the national average. Although they have already been able to reduce the response time by a couple of minutes, clearly there is a lot of work ahead. One of the realities is the level of staffing for OPD.

• Guns, Gangs and Drugs:

Addressing these three issues is integral to any improvement in neighborhoods. There is a strong correlation between reducing the presence of these three elements and an increase in economic viability for an area.

• Rolling 90-day plans:

Select “hottest” area and target specific issues intensively for 90 days. These are very specific projects that require review and completion every 90 days. One such recent project was targeting robberies on International Boulevard by the Nortenos gang. The next big focus will address specific gun issues, particularly around the lake (but he declined to be more specific while a project was underway).

Other issues the police department is working on:

• Bicycles: Capt. Figueroa wants to increase the number of bike patrol officers. Bikes provide a lot of mobility for officers, and police are approachable on bikes, especially with youth.
• Merchant video surveillance: Capt. Figueroa will meet with the business groups and will ask businesses with video surveillance to point one camera out to monitor the foot traffic in front of their place of business.
• Online Reporting: increase reporting of property crimes online by crime victims. This eliminates the need for police response for smaller property crimes, and provides greater convenience for residents to report crimes.

Additional Q&A for the Captain.

II. What Can the Community Do? Introduction to Neighborhood Watch

A final comment from the Captain on the best way for the community to respond was to join in their Neighborhood Watch Group. Those in attendance were asked if they belonged to a Neighborhood Watch Group. Few people raised their hands, but many were unsure. We discussed how a NWG worked, what the benefits were, and how to start one.

Hoang Banh asked anyone who does not belong to a NWG, or who is unsure, to fill out a form with name, address, and contact information so she could research if there is a watch group in their location. If there is, she will put them in contact with their local group. If not, she will provide them with information on starting one.

Future Agenda items:

Some people expressed interest in holding a debate for the District 2 Council seat candidates. The deadline for filing to enter the race is not for a few months, so this item is tabled for a future date. Additionally, people expressed interest in a debate among the mayoral candidates. This is a large undertaking, but again is tabled until a later date, closer to the election.

We have a confession to make. After the huge success of the two Disney volunteer work days at the park, we’re spoiled and are longing for a bigger, more reliable volunteer contingent. There’s a ray of hope on the horizon as Jerry Barclay’s Splash Pad/Farmers Market Advisory Group has just begun to [...]]]>

Splash Pad Park We have a confession to make. After the huge success of the two Disney volunteer work days at the park, we’re spoiled and are longing for a bigger, more reliable volunteer contingent. There’s a ray of hope on the horizon as Jerry Barclay’s Splash Pad/Farmers Market Advisory Group has just begun to explore the possibility of partnering with Merritt College’s superb Landscape Horticulture program and/or Alameda County’s Master Gardening program. The initial focus would probably be on routine maintenance such as weeding and pruning, but we’re also talking about some major improvements including expansion of the California Native Plant Bed into the adjacent Dogwood beds. If you’d like to get involved in some capacity, you can email Jerry at jerryandcaryn@gmail.com or phone me at 510 451-6537. Concerns over the park’s appearance have been heightened by indications that three of the Canary date palms are in serious distress. We’re still waiting to hear back from the city regarding a diagnosis and any possible treatment. Stay tuned for more details. New Park Supervisors Appointed In our last newsletter, we mentioned that two Oakland city gardeners (Tora Rocha and Herman Miller) had been promoted to Supervisor I positions. The former was recently profiled in a very complimentary article by Alan Lopez in the Montclarion. Farmers Market News There are a number of new and returning farm vendors at the Saturday market including Rootstock Specialties which offers blueberry plants. With stone fruits now in abundance, can corn be far behind? As I’ve noted previously, fresh-picked corn on the cob (so sweet and tender you can eat it raw out of the hand or in salads) is one of my favorites. I’ve also used it with great results on the pizza rounds from Panorama Baking Co. Peggy and Helen from Kassenhoff Growers have announced that this Saturday (June 12) will be their last day at the Grand Lake Market for this season. Look for a variety of vegetable seedlings including some tomatoes + a selection of perennials. Kassenhoff was the subject of an equally complimentary article in last week’s Chronicle. In the six weeks or so that Brad Burger has been managing the Grand Lake Market, he’s implemented some small, but welcome changes. Community Chiropractic and Ahhhh Massage have been moved to the perimeter of the market alongside Oaklandish and the coffee booth has been relocated as well. Brad’s primary motivation was to separate these three vendors from the Certified Agriculture booths, but in doing so, he’s also relieved some of the congestion in the center of the park and given the lawns a bit of a respite. According to Brad, the long-awaited Stop Waste recycling and composting program will debut on June 26th. If you’d like to volunteer to assist this effort in its early stages, give Brad a call at 800.897.FARM. Grand Lake Merchant News We’re sorry to report that Taste of Joy on Grand Avenue has closed. Although I haven’t heard from Brian, I’m guessing he tried to do too much too soon–particularly after taking on food preparation at Monahan’s on the Hill. I’m hoping we see him back in the Grand Lake neighborhood at some point. He and his family are really good people and he’s a very talented chef. Newfangles which features clothing for big and tall women has more moves than Kobe Bryant. Newfangles started on Santa Clara; moved to Lakeshore and they’ve just re-opened at 3223 Grand (nee Cultural Crossroads). I‘ve yet to eat at Boot and Shoe Service since I’m typically unable or unwilling to get there at opening time or to wait for a table. Crowds are unlikely to disappear after their most recent review. This one in the Eastbay Express. On Memorial Day, I ventured out early to take this photo of the interior of Good Chemistry Baking as they celebrated their grand opening only three days after the date originally announced. This in itself was a minor miracle. In reporting on plans for new restaurants and other businesses, I’ve come to expect delays that drag into weeks and months. The bigger, more significant miracle is what Jane O’hara is able to do with baked goods minus the gluten. The pecan chewies and brownies I purchased on opening day were scrumptious. As of today, her Yelp rating is a perfect five. Look for lunches to be introduced sometime soon. Also, for more background information about Jane and her new venture, check out Alan Lopez’s article in today’s Montclarion. Across the street (next to the Grand Bakery), what used to be the Heads Together Salon has been leased for a Greek restaurant to be called Ikaros or Icarus in the traditional English spelling. The owner’s name is Zack and he currently operates a restaurant in San Francisco called Haystack Pizza. I really like this building. It has a skylight with lots of natural light and lots of potential. This stretch of Grand Avenue was viewed rather harshly in the community survey, the Grand Lake Retail Advisory Group conducted two years ago. A lot of positive things have happened there in the interim including the openings of Boot & Shoe and Good Chemistry Baking with the new Ikaros Restaurant now in the offing. Eric Hughes and his Grand Lake Improvements Committee deserves a lot of credit as well for many of the infrastructure improvements plus a big round of applause to Alan Michaan for the new paint job on the Grand Lake Theatre which last weekend required pressure washing high up on ladders and on a cherry-picker. Over on Lakeshore, Yogafina Frozen Yogurt at 3261 Lakeshore (next to Arizmendi) is quite close to opening. I have to confess that I was one of those people who wasn’t thrilled about having a second frozen yogurt store on Lakeshore Avenue, but I’ve peeked inside to observe the ongoing construction and the interior looks sleek and inviting. I’m guessing they’ll do quite well. Will wait and see if, however, both frozen yogurt shops can survive. After some twenty years, Adam’s Burger has closed and word is that there has been extensive interest in this location and it will most likely remain a restaurant. As noted in April, Sunset Cosmetics at 3411 Lakeshore has closed, but after extensive remodeling, will soon reopen as a beauty salon called Hair Sessions Phase II. Oakland Museum Features New Exhibits In our last newsletter, I made a pitch for the 31-hour, non-stop opening celebration for the reinvented Oakland Museum. I had to work that Saturday and didn’t get there until about 8 pm and watched the crowds grow for the next four hours while taking a very few photographs. If you’re one of the few Oakland residents who missed out on the opening and haven’t been there in the ensuing weeks, perhaps here’s the motivation you need. A new exhibit is opening depicting the history of Pixar Studios. Oaklandish Wins Indie Award In April, we also made a pitch for the annual Oakland Indie Awards celebration. We were quite pleased to see Oaklandish honored with the Youth Empowerment award. Here’s a photo of Angela Tsay just after the announcement. Coincidentally, Angela was the only Oaklandish representative in attendance. Everyone else (including her father who was visiting from out of town) was at the Scottish Rite Temple for one of the many youth-oriented events they quietly sponsor. Barbara Newcomb Honored As we mentioned in late April, Barbara Newcomb was honored at the Morcom Rose Garden as Oakland’s Mother of the Year. A Trib article by Kelly Rayburn documented why Barbara was a particularly deserving choice for this award. Grand Lake Entertainment Calendar An updated entertainment calendar for the remainder of June and all of July has just been posted on the Splash Pad website. We are blessed with an incredible diversity of musical talent here in the Bay area as we see first hand each and every Saturday at the farmers market. Based on last week’s Westlake Middle School Concert in the Splash Pad Plaza, we can be optimistic about that musical heritage continuing. Over 100 kids ages 12-14 performed incredibly well. Their ranks were supplemented by this high school senior–a Westlake Alumnus who picked up the cello as a 7th grader and who will be attending USC next year on a full music scholarship. Ditto for this young man on trombone who’s attending Oberlin on a full music scholarship. Kudos to the music educators at Westlake for all that they do and particularly to Randy Porter who pulled this fundraising effort together. Upcoming Events The Oakland Fiber and Textile Festival debuts in Splash Pad Park the last Sunday of this month, June 27 from 10AM to 4PM. It’s a summer celebration of the Fiber and Textile Arts in the Bay Area and will feature approximately 15 exhibitors. There will be craft demostrations; make-&-take tables for kids and adults alike; locally hand made products; and craft supplies. As an aside, Lou Grantham is the chief organizer of this event. I got to know her ten years ago when she joined Jerry Cauthen’s Splash Pad Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety Committee and she later proved to be one of our most effective Splash Pad fountain fundraisers. We’re delighted to see her scheduling this event in the park she helped to create. Look for her at tomorrow’s Farmers Market as she’s scheduled to have a booth promoting the Fiber Festival with an exhibit of some of the goods and activities that will be offered. Cozy Up is a purveyor of fine teas and tea cozies at 3654 Grand Avenue, but it also houses His Holiness Meditation Room. The latter will be the venue for the first of a series of special events beginning on June 18 at 8pm with a showing of All in This Tea. The documentary’s creators (noted film makers Les Blank and Gina Leibrecht) will be in attendance to discuss the making of the film and to answer questions. Tickets are $20 and space is limited. Phone 510 834-2699 for more information. This weekend marks the end of the annual Open Studios Tour sponsored by Pro Arts. There are scores of gallery spaces open within walking or biking distance or alternatively, hop in the car and venture into areas you haven’t previously explored. Department of Unsolicited Advice After the longest, coldest, wettest, weirdest spring in memory, enjoy this weekend outdoors–but don’t forget the sun screen. Tomorrow is going to be HOT!

  ]]> http://grandlakeneighbors.org/?feed=rss2&p=216 0 http://grandlakeneighbors.org/?p=211 http://grandlakeneighbors.org/?p=211#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:17:09 +0000 David Flack http://grandlakeneighbors.org/?p=211 The June meeting of Grand Lake Neighbors was on the front page of the Montclarian courtesy of reporter Alan Lopez. Check it out: Working together to fight crime works.

Monday, June 7, 7:00pm Barnett Hall, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist [...]]]> Crime in our neighborhood has increased in the last few months. What are the police doing? What can we as a community do? Please join your neighbors, Captain Paul Figueroa and NSC Hoang Bahn at the next meeting of Grand Lake Neighbors to discuss the recent uptick in crime.

Monday, June 7, 7:00pm
Barnett Hall, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church
3534 Lakeshore Ave

Not quite two years ago, the Grand Lake Traffic Calming Committee went public with its proposals for pedestrian safety improvements on Lakeshore Avenue at Lake Park and at MacArthur via an article in the Grand Lake Guardian. The City of Oakland’s traffic engineers, with additional input from AC Transit, used [...]]]>

Not quite two years ago, the Grand Lake Traffic Calming Committee went public with its proposals for pedestrian safety improvements on Lakeshore Avenue at Lake Park and at MacArthur via an article in the Grand Lake Guardian. The City of Oakland’s traffic engineers, with additional input from AC Transit, used the GLTCC recommendations as the starting point for plans that culminated in a major grant from ACTIA. With additional funding from AC Transit, Measure DD and discretionary funding from Councilmembers Pat Kernighan and Ignacio De La Fuente, a total of $1.2 million is budgeted for a project that is on schedule to begin construction late next year.

The Lakeshore Complete Streets Project, as its now called, consists of three basic elements as shown in these plans.