LAKE MERRITT PARK MASTER PLAN July 2002 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION IV. DETAIL GUIDELINES Mission Statement ................................................ I-2 12th St / Cultural District.................................... IV-2 Planning Context .................................................. I-4 Design Concept................................................ IV-2 Why Plan Now? ..................................................... I-5 Recommendations............................................ IV-5 Water Quality ....................................................... I-6 Additional Area Recommendations ................... IV-9 Relevant History .................................................... I-7 Other 12th Street Alternatives Studied ........... IV-10 Circulation...................................................... IV-11 Landscape Recommendations......................... IV-16 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Downtown Park Edge ....................................... IV-18 Process ..................................................................II-2 Design Themes ............................................... IV-19 Vision .................................................................... II-4 Recommendations.......................................... IV-19 Plan Summary ...................................................... II-8 Circulation...................................................... IV-24 1520 Lakeside Drive:The Municipal Boathouse .... IV-26 Landscape Recommendations......................... IV-29 III. PLAN OVERVIEW Lakeside Park ....................................................IV-30 Design Concepts ..................................................III-2 Recommendations.......................................... IV-32 Park Programming ..............................................III-4 Shoreline Management Zone.......................... IV-35 Water Resources ................................................. III-6 Ecological Restoration Areas ............................ IV-35 Bluff Area ......................................................... IV-37 Access and Circulation ...................................... III-10 Beach ............................................................... IV-37 Park Landscape.................................................. III-20 Sailboat House ................................................. IV-38 Ecology .............................................................. III-38 Program Zone ................................................ IV-42 Buildings ............................................................ III-44 Bowing Green ................................................... IV-42 Shadow Study.................................................... III-50 Childrens Fairyland .......................................... IV-44 Art Element ....................................................... III-52 Lakeside Park Garden Center........................... IV-46 Junior Center for Art and Science (JCAS) ......... IV-48 Maintenance Facilities...................................... IV-50 Police Substation .............................................. IV-51 Police Horse Stables / New Maintenance ......... IV-51 Rotary Nature Center ....................................... IV-52 Snack Bar ......................................................... IV-53 ii V. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Free and Clear Open Space ............................ IV-54 Overview .............................................................. V-2 Circulation...................................................... IV-56 A Park Conservancy.............................................. V-4 Landscape Recommendations......................... IV-58 Funding ................................................................. V-6 Grand Ave. Promenade..................................... IV-66 Project Descriptions ............................................. V-8 Recommendations.......................................... IV-67 Project Prioritization ......................................... V-12 Circulation...................................................... IV-68 Landscape Recommendations........................ IV-69 Lakeshore Ave. Edge .........................................IV-70 VI. MAINTENANCE PLAN Recommendations.......................................... IV-71 Introduction ....................................................... VI-2 Circulation...................................................... IV-78 Maintenance Review ......................................... VI-4 Landscape Recommendations......................... IV-31 Guidelines for Care ...........................................VI-10 Irrigation Plan ...................................................IV-82 Existing Irrigation System ................................ IV-82 System Rehabilitation ..................................... IV-84 VII. APPENDIX Site Furnishings .................................................IV-86 Process Notes..................................................... VII-2 Current Conditions ......................................... IV-86 Analysis .............................................................. VII-8 Background on Park Furnishings ..................... IV-86 Circulation Data .............................................. VII-16 Overall Bench Recommendations .................... IV-87 Sources ............................................................. VII-30 Lake Merritt Necklace of Lights ...................... IV-90 Credits.............................................................. VII-31 Bicycle Racks Recommendations ..................... IV-91 Trash Receptacles ........................................... IV-91 iii INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I MISSION STATEMENT PLANNING CONTEXT WHY PLAN NOW? WATER QUALITY RELEVANT HISTORY I-1 MISSION STATEMENT Lake Merritt should continue to be a park for all of Oakland. Its green space, water area, playgrounds, and attractions should serve the widest audience of Oakland citizens and visitors. From the programs we should learn about the park as a natural resource - a unique ecology within our urban city. The needs of human users must be carefully balanced with goals for improving habitat value and water quality. Our City's youth should take their first sail and grow comfortable in a kayak on this water. We should be free to explore our park in all modes of transport. The grand perimeter roads should be made grand for bikes and pedestrians too. The rich botanical collections should be made inviting and in keeping with their famed status. As our Park ages with each generation, we must make the needed repairs that maintain the glory of Lake Merritt. I-2 Four guiding principles shape the parks planning: Ecology: to manage and enhance the park as a refuge for people and wildlife. Natural resources in ecological zones are given the highest priority for use by wildlife. Education: to reveal the natural processes, botanical interests, culture, and history of Lake Merritt and its surrounding community through organized youth programs, art, signage, and overall park design. Recreation: to improve the park as a place of informal, outdoor recreation. Oaklands youth should especially benefit from the lakes resources. Culture: to reflect the unique culture of Oakland, its diverse peoples, neighborhoods, built form, history, and natural environment. Art elements are one way of exploring cultural factors. Forested hill area and McElroy Fountain in Lakeside Park Special paving with oak tree at the Pergola Beach, Lakeside Park INTRODUCTION I-3 PLANNING CONTEXT Planning Context In 1999, the city embarked on a plan to revitalize downtown Oakland. The vision espoused, an active city center sup- ported by new housing attracting ten thousand new resi- dents. Public open space is the essential amenity for the new urban residents. The restoration of Lake Merritt Park as a major urban green space will serve the established and new neighborhoods alike. The promenades, lawns, docks, and natural areas will define the daily lifestyles of those residents. Sidewalk and bicycle lane connections to the Lake and Estuary are also addressed as the primary means of circulation between home and park. Lake Merritts continuous park border touches the many communities of central Oakland. The park- its necklace of lights and green space- joins together these enclaves. Key city boulevards and avenues reach out from the lake back into the fabric of the entire City and its many neighbor- hoods. In this way, all communities of people are connected to the lake. By reinforcing these urban linkages, the people of Oakland will be afforded greater access to Lake Merritts open space and educational programs. Park amenities will serve the existing communities of Oak- land and the East Bay. From adjacent neighborhoods to nearby cities, Lake Merritt will continue to be a central park destination and green refuge. Right: View of gondola tour at sunset I-4 WHY PLAN NOW? Why Plan Now? The Parks celebrated history and unique ecological heritage are A Time to Dream highly revered by the thousands served by Lake Merritt each year. So why is there a need for a plan? A park master plan provides opportunity for civic leaders and members of the public to consider long term visions. The many Time for Major Renovations community open houses and stakeholder workshops conducted during the planning process provided opportunity for these The love affair by the public takes its toll on the paths, lawns, visions to be shared. The Lake merritt Master Plan