Greetings neighbors:
The Friends of the Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt (FROG), a volunteer group in the neighborhood, is working with the City of Oakland on plans for enhancements at Frog Park, including additional swings and play equipment that will be accessible for the disabled. You’ve probably seen the dozens of articles we’ve posted in the Rockridge News and on local list serves, or perhaps seen various versions of plans displayed at the Rockridge Street Fair, on the www.frogpark.org website, and at Frog Park itself.
Many people who use the park or live in the area provided input, useful feedback and comments for the design. Over the course of the project, we met several times with the immediate neighbors of the Big Frog area (near Hardy Street) to respond to their comments. Many members of our community, several businesses and a foundation, donated over $50,000 to support the project, adding to other funds secured to add play equipment (see Layout and Play Features).
With a lot of input, comments, and feedback, as well as a number of City of Oakland and CalTrans regulations to comply with, we now have an exciting design that we believe responds to the most important community needs for this area. This design balances the many needs and comments of the larger community, and will go to the City’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission on the 12th of July at 4:30pm, for their review and approval of the conditional use permit required for the project.
If you can attend the meeting to present your support in-person, even better. Please see attached flyer (PRAC Public Notice) to attend the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, City of Oakland, Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 4:30PM, Lake Merritt Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue.
This project represents a long process to incorporate the many aspects of the communities’ wishes and will improve Frog Park despite ongoing issues of homelessness, garbage, keeping the bathroom clean, etc. Frog Committee will continue working to address these issues with city officials and staff, Oakland Public Works, and alerting our city representatives, police and other agencies, with the community’s help. Together we can make Frog Park an attractive and welcome place for park users.
We hope that you will support the plan, and voice your support by contacting Diane Tannenwald, Project Manager, Oakland Public Works, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 4314, Oakland, CA 94612, Phone: (510) 238-6386, Email: dtannenwald@oaklandnet.com, Website: www.oaklandnet.com
If you have questions about the project, or are interested in joining FROG as we work together to maintain and improve Frog Park, please contact FROG Chair, Carol Behr at chair@frogpark.org or 510-919-0627. We look forward to an improved Frog Park!