By Kent Lewandowski
As many of you know, part of the Sierra Club's mission to "preserve and protect" wild places also involves looking at how we can safeguard natural open space in urban areas. While a City Park may differ from a national park, it does offer many important environmental benefits:
- Recreation and relaxation area for physical and mental health
- Storm water collection
- Reduction of urban heat island effect
- Neighborhood centers / areas for community to interact
- Cleaner air
- Protected space where native trees and plants can grow
For the reasons outlined above, the Northern Alameda County Group opposes the proposal by the City of Oakland to remove a section of San Antonio Park, one of Oakland’s oldest and largest parks in a flatlands neighborhood, to give it to the Oakland Fire Department for a new fire station. In addition to a letter of opposition the Sierra Club NAC Group wrote to the City on March 2nd, we hope that our Oakland members can help voice our opposition to this short-sighted plan.
The Sierra Club has opposed similar situations in the past, including the takeover of Knowland Park by the Oakland Zoo for their expansion in 2010. Taking away parkland permanently removes valuable green space needed for public recreation, water retention, and wildlife habitat. In this case, the City wants to pave over nature to save a couple million dollars. If this proposal is approved, it could set an extremely bad precedent that could be replicated in other East Bay cities. The taking of public parkland also violates the City’s Open Space, Conservation and Recreation (OSCAR) plan, which was passed by council after a years-long effort and collaboration among community members and staff in the 1990s. It also contradicts the City’s climate goals outlined in the 2030 Equitable Climate Action Plan. This proposal threatens a park that is the home of significant annual cultural attractions, including the Cinco de Mayo festival and the Malcolm X Jazz Festival.
To help oppose this plan, please contact Oakland Public Works Interim Assistant Director David Ferguson (dferguson@oaklandca.gov) and Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas (nfbas@oaklandca.gov) and express your opposition to the removal of our valuable green space at San Antonio Park.
For more information, please see stopsanantoniolandgrab.com.
Kent Lewandowski is a member of Sierra Club's Northern Alameda County Group.
Photo credit: San Antonio Park from Our Oakland (CC BY-SA 2.0)