Month: April 2010

Ode To Anthony Chabot Park

Oakland benefactor Anthony Chabot has left plenty of legacies behind, especially in harnessing and creating metropolitan water systems.  Of course, everywhere you look around our city there’s a Chabot something or other.

We visited the Anthony Chabot Park to see how spring was progressing there.  Don’t confuse this Park with the contiguous Lake Chabot Park, which encircles the large boating reservoir.  These two East Bay Regional Parks bear his name, and the one we visited sits between the Lake and Redwood Regional Park.  Anyway, we drove up to Skyline Drive and took off.

Ah, perfect greens abounded on this wet April day!  In this view, you see the urban and wilderness divide.  Anthony Chabot Park is in front, while Chabot Golf Course appears in the valley below.  Beyond these largest hills, there’s a gray-colored ridge fully occupied by humanity – it’s Hayward, the CSU-East Bay Campus and points south.

In keeping with the original water reservoir roots of the area, there’s plenty of East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)  land located east of these two parks as well.  The Upper San Leandro Reservoir remains off-limits to walkers, hikers and bicyclers but peeks out from the dead-end Coffeeberry Trail, at Anthony Chabot Park.  You can feel remote, right here.

When chatting with avid local park users, you often hear encouragements of “spring wildflowers.”  So we dutifully set out and discovered tiny blue flowers and orange poppies, which were identical to ones spotted around Montclair.  Maybe you have to be more tuned-in, persistent or lucky during the hunt.

Pay dirt!  This time, we also noticed alpine-looking flowers growing near a rocky outcropping and finally understood the enthusiasm.  These beautiful purples and yellows deserved more than our quick digital proof statement.  Call in Monet or some plein-air artists immediately.

More info:  Anthony Chabot Park is surprisingly close to Montclair.  We suggest taking 580 South to Keller Ave. exit.  Make a left and head uphill on Keller.  Turn right on Skyline Blvd.  Park at the Clyde Woolridge Staging Area, across from Grass Valley Road.  Check out park maps here, including high-level, northern section and southern section versions.

Imagine Bay Bridge As Tourist Destination

With the new and gorgeous Eastern Span of the Oakland Bay Bridge only a couple years away, there’s an opportunity to create an Oakland-based Gateway Park – and to draw visitors of all stripes.  The Gateway Park Working Group, consisting of reps from an alphabet soup of public agencies, is trying to create this park from scratch.

Imagine all the visitors at Gateway Park. If there’s an easy way to get there, we think that visitors would flock to this new Contra Costa vantage point.  At land’s end, you would glimpse glorious views of San Francisco to rival other Bay Area locales.  In addition, Treasure Island, two bridge spans and the bay itself are better than whipped cream and cherries.

Tourists and locals need something to do, once there.  The park could become a recreational destination, where bicyclers are encouraged to take the out-and-back trip between the new Eastern Span and Treasure Island.  There might be a kayak launch pad at this location.  Plus we envision historical and environmental signage placed around the walking trails.

Remember to feed the masses. To become a full-fledged tourist spot, there’s gotta be places to park, hang out, buy memorabilia and grab a snack.  We have the competitive chops to do “one better” than what you get at the Golden Gate Bridge, especially the dismal food offerings.

Coordination among different landowners comes into play.  The park site is old U.S. Army property now administered by the East Bay Regional Park District.  The west gateway area, slotted for retail uses, is owned by the City of Oakland.  Perhaps some of the other contiguous landowners should get in this game as well, to ensure there’s enough space to fulfill visitor dreams.

At this point, the Gateway Park Working Group has generated plans which are available here.  They are asking the public to weigh in, through this park survey.  Be heard now, on this legacy in-the-making!

Oakland Whistleblowers Are Blowing

In the City of Oakland, the whistleblowers are blowing.  But are they being heard?

According to City Auditor Courtney Ruby, at least 80 percent of reports went somewhere while the remainder required no further action or were submitted with insufficient information.  Here’s the Audit Department’s recent overview, which included this chart below.

One indisputable fact?  There were many more whistleblowers lately, who started using a new city hotline installed in January 2009.  The counts grew significantly:  16 in fiscal 2007; 23 in fiscal 2008; and 122 in fiscal 2009.  The most recent count reflected a half-year of hotline operation, so it’s clearly been a handy tool for city employees.

With protections in place, this increased whistleblowing is probably a good thing.  Public sector employees do encounter bad actors and actions, and should have formal places to turn.  Especially in our litigious society, these kinds of programs are appropriate.

Are fraud, waste and abuse truly identified and then addressed through Oakland’s whistleblower program?  The auditor says her department can’t provide details regarding investigated matters, due to confidentiality considerations.  So the jury’s out.

Why We Love Montclair

Today we are revealing the truth, which has been hidden from view all these years.  Here’s why we madly and dearly love the Montclair District.

First, our natural setting makes us think we live in the Alps.  In reality, we are lucky to live in the Western USA and welcome such wonders as the elk migration.  It’s hard to grow tired of watching the herds travel down from the East Bay Regional Parks to forage in our low-lying gardens.  They sometimes try to sneak into garages, so we know to keep things closed – or else there’s mayhem.

We also appreciate the comforts of home, including concierge services which are delivered gratis while living here.  Day or night, Sally, Jimbo and their team will make sure it’s handled:  anything from running errands to the dry cleaner and post office to preparing gourmet meals based on locally-grown sources.  Lately, they have begun offering green-retrofits for your homes too.

Generally, the sense of community is so strong.  Every week, we enjoy participating in our quilting club because it’s an excuse to catch up on the latest news.  We like to create keepsakes about Montclair and, this year, are taking cast-off bathing caps to create a new masterpiece honoring the 50th anniversary of the Montclair Swim Team.

We love the incredible sense of history and the Little Alhambra culinary traditions handed down through the years.  All you need to do is look at Montclair Village’s cafes, and know the Peralta descendants have made their mark.  In lieu of scrambled eggs and omelets, huevos rancheros are the default breakfast option.  And the paella, sweetbread and flan for dinner is to die for, no?

Interestingly, the bucolic environment was well-planned.  When the original developers arrived back in the 1930s or so, they worked with the City of Oakland to create five-acre minimum zoning on all residential properties.  Most homes are still around 1,500 square feet or so, and the 2,000 square foot cap has worked wonders!

Our only complaint?  We are upset that so many roads were paved after the 1991 firestorm.  Those old, dirt fire trails sounded pretty sweet – and long-time Montclarions really miss ’em.  We know the trails created mayhem during our winter rains, but long for those good old days.

Evening Update:  With a couple groans still echoing, here’s to a happy and healthy April 1st.