Update!
| Thank you for coming out and sharing your ideas! Over 250 people attended CM Guillen's community workshop, including seniors, students, school administrators and community organizations. Things are already happening, including new courts inside and out, thanks to the Warriors and the Kevin Durant Community Foundation, LISC, ESPN, Finishline Youth Foundation, and Good Tidings. We're looking forward to seeing what other improvements are in the works! | |
For more information, follow Friends of Lincoln Square Park on facebook, twitter and instagram to keep up with the latest news and updates on this campaign to improve this beloved park and recreation center, the heart of Oakland Chinatown.
| The original post: If you love Chinatown's Lincoln Square Park and the Rec Center, now's the time to get involved. Councilmember Guillen is hosting a community meeting and you need to be there. Lincoln Square Park Recreation Center and the surrounding Park are the heart of the Oakland Chinatown community, and the location for annual events, seasonal community celebrations, monthly movie nights and daily programming. Did you know the recreation center is Oakland’s busiest center? Every week, over 2,000 registered participants of all ages use the indoor recreation center, and more than 30,000 people drop in for activities each month. Lincoln Elementary school next to the park uses the play areas and recreation center for recess and after-school activities. |  |
Lincoln Square Park Recreation Center Community Meeting
March 20th, 2017 - 2:30-4:00pm
250 10th Street, Oakland Chinatown
Come share your ideas with Councilmember Guillen
Here's the Problem
It's been 40 years since any major improvements have been done to the recreation center. The slide on the popular junk ship play structure has been broken for months and the windows of the recreation center leak whenever it rains. Toe tot lot has a boarded up hole where the slide was removed. The classrooms are small and often over crowded and the recreation center staff have to turn away groups because there isn’t enough space to accommodate the demand. The aging facilities have served the community well over the generations, but it is in need of critical investments that can no longer be delayed.
Meanwhile, the longer we wait, the busier it gets. Up until the early 2000's the park was primarily used by the adjacent Lincoln Elementary School's 500 students, small groups of local Asian teenagers, and very few seniors. About that time, the School District expanded the number of public charter schools and implemented an open enrollment policy which allowed families to enroll in non-neighborhood schools. Over the years, as many as five charter schools have been operating within a few blocks of the park, increasing the usage significantly.
By 2010, Lincoln Elementary replaced their portables with a modern multi-story building and expanded their enrollment to nearly 750 students. In total, there are now nearly 2,000 school-aged students within a half mile that use the park on a regular basis. As many as 75% of the students attending these schools do not live in the area, and commute in by bus and car on a daily basis.
Furthermore, with no-large scale public senior center in Oakland Chinatown, active adults began converging at the park and in the Recreation Center. What was once a handful of seniors has since become over several thousand for both informal and formal activities. Future development will bring over 5,000 new residents within a half mile, so the park usage will continue to grow.
The community has been waiting for a very long time for a new and improved center. Thanks to the City's partnership with the Warriors Community Foundation and the generosity of Kevin Durant and his charity foundation, there will be some refurbished basketball courts coming soon. This is a great start, and an amazing opportunity to jumpstart renovations on the rec center.
Meanwhile, the longer we wait, the busier it gets. Up until the early 2000's the park was primarily used by the adjacent Lincoln Elementary School's 500 students, small groups of local Asian teenagers, and very few seniors. About that time, the School District expanded the number of public charter schools and implemented an open enrollment policy which allowed families to enroll in non-neighborhood schools. Over the years, as many as five charter schools have been operating within a few blocks of the park, increasing the usage significantly.
By 2010, Lincoln Elementary replaced their portables with a modern multi-story building and expanded their enrollment to nearly 750 students. In total, there are now nearly 2,000 school-aged students within a half mile that use the park on a regular basis. As many as 75% of the students attending these schools do not live in the area, and commute in by bus and car on a daily basis.
Furthermore, with no-large scale public senior center in Oakland Chinatown, active adults began converging at the park and in the Recreation Center. What was once a handful of seniors has since become over several thousand for both informal and formal activities. Future development will bring over 5,000 new residents within a half mile, so the park usage will continue to grow.
The community has been waiting for a very long time for a new and improved center. Thanks to the City's partnership with the Warriors Community Foundation and the generosity of Kevin Durant and his charity foundation, there will be some refurbished basketball courts coming soon. This is a great start, and an amazing opportunity to jumpstart renovations on the rec center.
Get Involved
| The Lincoln Square Park community wants to build a modern recreation center that reflects the community and is large enough to accommodate the growing demand. Imagine a new upgraded park and recreation center, where every generation has an opportunity build community and contribute to the rich history and cultural legacy of Oakland Chinatown. The community needs your voice and your ideas to make something happen. Help share your ideas and create a place for the next generation of families in Chinatown. See you on the 20th! |  |
