Petition to Save Chavez Park
To Berkeley City Council and Berkeley City Manager: I am a Chavez Park visitor. A consultant that you hired has proposed far-reaching changes (BMASP) that would destroy the natural peace and quiet of this park and impact its wildlife and habitat. I am opposed to these proposals and I urge you to reject them. I will not vote for any candidate who supports the BMASP proposals for Chavez Park.
Save Chavez Park! Stop BMASP!
Anyone can sign this petition, whether a Berkeley resident or not. The park is a regional feature and was originally built to be a state park and part of the East Bay Regional Park District. For more information about the BMASP proposals, read “Let’s Stop the Plan that Would Destroy Our Park.” For a collection of letters and reports in opposition to the BMASP plans, read this free book. You may also sign this petition by hand when volunteers circulate the petition in the park. If you would like to volunteer to circulate the petition, email info@chavezpark.org. You can download a printable petition sheet by clicking here.
Note that the total number of signatures is much greater than the online signature number. As of 8/16 we have collected 806 paper signatures in addition to the online signatures. When the online number reaches 1194 we will have 2000 signatures total.
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I, too, frequent Cesar Chavez Park several times a week. Not only is it an opportunity to drink in the fresh air of the SF Bay, but a chance to commune with nature in the midst of a pandemic-restricted urban stressful world. Natural spaces are not commodities to be bought and sold, but vital green oases that offer health, both physical and mental, to its citizens. A study in The Netherlands proved that access to green spaces lowered blood pressure, reduced stress and increased longevity in its citizens. Berkeley is a forward-thinking, educated community and must guard its urban open spaces for generations to come.
the thoughtlessness of the mayor and city council of Berkeley is appalling. At a time when we need open space to help our lives and mental health, it proceeds to offer up the destruction of one of our city treasures, a place of peace and beauty and healing. I often drive to the marina and Cesar Chavez park to get away from the city noise and walk or sit and look at the scenes in front of me across the water. all for just the cost of the gas.
DO NOT DESTROY the park and the marina for money. We will all regret it and I will never vote for anyone that votes for its demise.
We have plenty of buildings, meeting places & entertainment venues in Berkeley already. Berkeley has one of the highest housing densities in the nation due to U.C housing.What we don’t have much of is open space and nature. What we need is sanity and peace not more action!
At this point the best idea i’ve heard is to return Chavez Park to ShoreLine McLaughlin State Park whilst working out some arrangement with them to not require a fenced area for dogs but just let the Chavez Park continue as it is. I believe this is being pursued.
Please do not destroy the park. Frankly, this plan is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I foresee it being mired in court for years, costing the city money. Do you really think the people of Berkeley and their allies will allow you to blithely destroy the habitat of endangered and threatened species? The marina is one of the things that makes Berkeley a destination. The best way to maximize the benefit is to leave it alone.
What is it about consultants? They ruined radio and everything they touch comes up lead ..
To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing to you about the proposed plan to develop Cesar Chavez Park.
My name is Stefani and I am 70 years old. I have used the park since it was originally
created in 1997. My daughter and I used to hunt for Fairies in the overhanging groves
and now my granddaughter and I put stones on the shadow of the solar calendar to
watch in amazement as time moves on.
Every evening I walk my dogs in the off-leash area to find solace from this broken world
of ours. As a teacher of 40 plus years I need to refresh my soul so that my students can
get the very best from my teaching. I picnic with family and friends, watch sunsets and
find time to sit at a picnic bench just to feel the nature around me.
This park is a quiet refuge, people are always kind and caring, and those young and old
can ride their bikes, push their wheelchairs, go for a run or just a walk with friends
around the park.
With your plan, parking will be impossible and prohibitive for those of us who want to
visit the park. This planned development would be an environmental disaster. The
burrowing owls, and wildlife sanctuaries would be destroyed. The park would be treated
destructively as we all know how crowds of people discard their trash. Should there be
an emergency, there is only one road out of the marina to seek safety. Earthquakes,
Tsunamis (as we had recently seen) or a fire would be a disaster and would endanger
the lives of many. People wouldn’t be able to get out of the park and ambulances and
fire trucks would not be able to get in.
The park is the largest natural area on the water in the Bay. This park needs to be used
as it was originally intended, as a refuge for people and wildlife alike. I implore you to
consider how valuable this park is right now. We don’t want it developed because the
the very tranquil beauty of it will be destroyed.
I cannot believe that the city would want to eliminate such a wonderful local treasure providing Beauty, respite, exercise, community to so many of us. Please no building on Cesar Chavez park!
I’m a resident of Berkeley and I was going to Cesar Chavez area when it was a dump and then it was made into a park which I have been going 345 times a week it is a refuge for our sanity in this insane environment don’t add to the insanity by making it loud and commercial. I agree I am also a psychologist and really know that we need to areas of green and openness and space please don’t ruin our precious park. Cynthiajoy McGrane
I frequent the park almost everyday as it is my escape from everyday stress of daily life. Furthermore, basically it is the only exercise for me as I have not visited a Gym since the Covid-19 troubles began. Please do not destroy the park and the tranquility it provides many a residents and almost all of our canine population.
It is a tragedy that everything has to be monetized into blaring entertainment. Cesar Chavez Park with its incredible views, beauty and nature doesn’t need and we don’t want an outdoor pavilion and commercialized disruption. Just make the park accessible to everyone including our wheelchair dependent community, provide clean bathrooms, protect wildlife and leave the rest alone.
Dear City Council & City Manager
I am a local psychologist and over the years given therapy homework and therapeutic exercises to go to Chavez park. Single mothers who were overwhelmed with a home full of energetic children and no money to take them to nature (water, birds, trees, owls, prairie dogs, turkeys) the park allows them to get some time were children could play and mother relax, reduce her STRESS. I have gotten isolated seniors walking around Chavez Park it reduces their isolation and improves their mental/physical health. ChavezPark with it’s improvement is accessible to the disable. The BMASP plan will prevent the community’s best Mental/Physical Health’s use of this space. There is so much Distress, poverty, anger in our society today, and our green, free, and open spaces have saved many lives in Berkeley.
I read somewhere that the park belongs to the state, for use as a park, by Berkeley. The city has no right to change that status, make ‘improvements’, etc.
I go to Cesar Chavez park with dogs several times a week. I love the mix of people and activities from kite flying, kids camps, social gatherings to bird watching. I love the rejuvenated Cesar chavez plaques and information. Please preserve this open space for all of us to use and reject the proposals to fill it with an amusement park and concert theater.