Lake Merritt Stewardship
Lake Merritt Park is being renovated using Measure DD bond funds, but general obligation bond funds cannot be used for operation or maintenance activities. Public Works gardening staff has been reduced to a skeleton crew due to budget cuts, so volunteers are organizing to help Public Works keep the renovated park in top condition. You can be a part of this effort by working with one of the groups below.
The Lake Merritt Master Volunteers
Following a model used successfully at the Morcom Rose Garden, an ad hoc group of citizens have organized themselves to be trained by Public Works staff to perform assigned tasks such as mulching, weeding, deadheading flowers and general cleanup. People who wish to work on their own schedule can adopt a specific planter bed. Those who wish to join a monthly work party, typically held on the last Saturday of every month, can sign up to receive email invitations. If you are interested in joining this effort, please contact Jennie Gerard at jgerard@oaklandnet.com, (510) 238-7023.
The City of Oakland’s Clean Lake Initiative focuses on cleanup, maintenance, monitoring, education and volunteer coordination at Lake Merritt. The City contracts with the Lake Merritt Institute to carry out the goals of the Clean Lake Initiative. Through this contract, the Lake Merritt Institute is responsible for trash cleanup, volunteer programming, education and technical assistance related to litter abatement, debris issues, lake ecology and hydrology. Volunteer sessions are regularly held on Tuesday and Saturday mornings or you can get the combination to the “You Clean It” supply boxes and work on your own schedule. Contact Dr. Richard Bailey at lmi@netwiz.net, www.lakemerrittinstitute.org or (510) 238-2290. There is also a video on YouTube called “A Guide to Cleaning the Lake”.
Report a Problem
If you observe a need for maintenance at Lake Merritt, the Public Works Agency has a hotline you can call: (510) 615-5566. You can also use the “Report a Problem” feature. Prompt reporting (with a specific location noted) of problems such as graffiti, water leaks, etc. can prevent escalation into a more serious problem.
Public Works Staff
The Public Works Park Supervisor responsible for parks around Lake Merritt and in West Oakland is Victoria “Tora” Rocha. Tora helped develop the successful volunteer program at the Morcom Rose Garden and welcomes the assistance and input of volunteers at Lake Merritt. She can be reached at (510) 238-3208 or vrocha@oaklandnet.com.
