With the passage of the $100 million city infrastructure bond act, the city and its citizens must now turn their attention to how best to program the funds. At the very top of the list should be the rebuilding of the South Berkeley community pool on the grounds of Willard Middle School. The city closed […]
Willard Pool
Posted inCity, Community
Berkeley parks advocates push back after council drops bond from November ballot
The Berkeley rose garden pergola needs major repairs and has been closed to park visitors since April. Photo: Daniel Parks The public dismay was palpable last month when the Berkeley City Council decided, in a surprise move, to put a parks tax before voters this fall without a related bond measure that would have infused parks […]
Posted inCity, Nature
Berkeley voters likely to see joint parks funding measure
Willard Pool supporters (pictured here last fall) won a victory Tuesday night with the latest council parks proposal. Photo: Emilie Raguso Willard Pool supporters (pictured here last fall) won a victory Tuesday night with the latest council parks proposal. Photo: Emilie Raguso Two Berkeley officials put forward a new proposal Tuesday night for a combined bond and tax measure […]
Posted inCity, Nature
Plans firm up for Berkeley soda tax, city parks measures
Berkeley voters will consider a soda tax in November. Supporters shown here came out before council earlier this year. Photo: Lance Knobel Berkeley officials voted Tuesday night on ballot language related to a November 2014 soda tax proposal, but exactly what sort of fundraising request might come before voters to help the city’s parks remains to […]
Posted inCity, Community, Nature
Willard pool reopening on agenda for park bond measure
Colorful graphics welcomed swimmers to Willard Pool when it was open. Photo: Protographer 23 After two failures to secure a pools bond measure, advocates for the reopening of Willard Pool turned out in force at Tuesday night’s Berkeley City Council meeting. Pool supporters called for including Willard in a likely parks bond measure on the […]
Posted inCity, Community, Nature
Council to study $20M parks bond, 10% parks tax boost
More than 30 Berkeley residents came out Wednesday night to ask the city to re-open Willard Pool. Photo: Emilie Raguso The Berkeley City Council is set to consider a potential $20 million parks bond in conjunction with a 10% increase to the existing parks tax after a unanimous vote Wednesday night by the city’s parks […]
Posted inCommunity, Nature
Willard Pool supporters turn out for parks meeting
Willard Pool, circa 2009. Photo: protographer23 Dozens of supporters of Willard Pool turned out Wednesday night to ask the Parks and Waterfront Commission to take steps to raise money to reopen the facility, which was closed due to budget and maintenance issues in 2010. The meeting was the third in a series of public meetings […]
Posted inCity, Community, Fire, Nature
Berkeley Tuolumne Camp supporters push to rebuild
Photo taken Sept. 2 at the site of the Berkeley Tuolumne Family Camp. Courtesy: City of Berkeley Supporters of Berkeley’s Tuolumne Camp, which was destroyed by the Rim Fire in August, came out last week to urge fast action and promise volunteer muscle in the city’s efforts to rebuild the much-loved institution. Supporters of the […]
Posted inCity, Nature
Commission, public discuss priorities for Berkeley’s parks
The Berkeley Parks and Waterfront Commission met Oct. 2 to discuss ways to improve the City’s parks. Photo: Eli Wolfe The Berkeley Parks and Waterfront Commission met Oct. 2 to discuss ways to improve the City’s parks. Photo: Eli Wolfe By Eli Wolfe The Berkeley Parks and Waterfront Commission met Wednesday night at the James Kenney Community Center […]
Posted inCity, Community, Nature
4 public meetings planned on future of Berkeley parks
In 2010, the city offered these examples of improvements to be made at Berkeley parks: closed stairs at Remillard Park, drainage problems at Ohlone dog park, inaccessible restrooms at the marina, and deteriorating basketball courts at San Pablo Park. As part of a new planning effort starting next week, Berkeley’s Parks and Waterfront Commission wants […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-Ed: Berkeley — take steps to re-open Willard pool
Sadly, Measures O & N failed to obtain the required 2/3 vote. I urge the Berkeley Unified School District Board, and the Berkeley City Council, to take the steps necessary to re-open Willard pool as soon as possible. Re-opening Willard pool would cost just a fraction of the costs that would have been incurred under […]
Posted inCity
Pools campaign holds mock swimathon for Measures N, O
Fourth grader Angel Jaramillo said he hoped by 7th grade he would be swimming in a reopened Willard pool, with his snorkel. Photo: Tracey Taylor Angel Jaramillo, a 4th grader at John Muir Elementary School, has never swum at Berkeley’s Willard pool. His family sometimes take him to the Richmond Plunge. But, he said, he […]
