Local business are raising money for a community parklet in Uptown Oakland’s Broadway+Valdez area. Help us create a new public space!
What is a Parklet?
A parklet is a small part of the street that has been converted from private automobile use to a unique public space for all to enjoy. A parklet helps to open up public space for people walking, biking, rollin’ and strollin’. The public will enjoy: a brief respite on the way to the transit stop, a place for gathering or meeting friends on First Fridays, a place to hang while waiting for their kids or dogs, and the opportunity to connect with local business owners and workers, who also live in our community.
Our Parklet
For decades, this portion of Broadway has been deeply car-centric, even being known as “Broadway Auto Row”. A parklet on this block truly defies this past distinction and will allow locals and visitors to the neighborhood to envision how accessible the community becomes when car traffic and parking are de-emphasized.
Being just one block east of “The Hive”, we are located in the heart of some of Oakland’s finest art galleries and eateries. Our parklet is bound to become a favorite hangout for Art Murmur/First Fridays revelers.
The Broadway parklet will be in front of Bay Area Bikes’ “Forefront Storefront”, our quirkly little bike shop specializing in folding, cargo and electric bikes. Other businesses on the block are the west coast’s largest accordion shop, a robotics training camp for kids, a doggy day care, Oakland legend God’s Gym and the just-announced The Crown, Royal Coffee’s Lab and Tasting Room.
Where we are in the process
Our proposed parklet was selected to participate in the City of Oakland’s second round of new parklet installations in January 2015. We’ve assembled our team, submitted our permit application and are close to having the permit in hand. Construction is scheduled to start in October. Now we just need to raise the money to pay for materials.
How You Can Help
While we have amazing folks working hard to make the parklet happen, we will not be able to build it unless we raise approximately $15,000. A collection of local business people and community members will be putting in the work to do most of the actual building, so your dollars will be directly leveraging huge amounts of value!
Our Budget
Our parklet has been designed to be accessible, safe, useable and comfortable. Our project budget of $15,000 will cover:
design (though much of it donated by Medium PlentyArchitects; they live, work and spend money in our neighborhood)
materials (we’re using as much reclaimed and repurposed material as we can get our hands on)
construction (we have some great builders among our ranks; even an early builder of “The Man”)
permit fees (we’re not complaining–the City needs to fill the coffers to keep Oakland beautiful and safe for all)
outdoor furniture and seating (including ADA access, parking for bikes, and accommodating the occasional accordion jam)
plantings and other amenities (including a 24 hr bike pump!)