OAKLAND — Preserving trees and other open space, improving access and maintaining tennis courts are among the improvements local residents would favor at Dimond Park, a group of residents told planners.

The Jan. 21 hearing, held at the Dimond Park Recreation Center, was designed to get public input as part of a preplanning process officials use to seek grants and other funding for needed park renovation. Similar meetings have been held at other park sites during the past two months.

Related Articles Berkeley wants Vollmer Peak renamed because of namesake’s eugenics views

Yosemite National Park to close due to heavy smoke

ACLU sues Palo Alto over ‘unconstitutional’ restrictions at residents-only park

Virtual tours of Uvas Canyon, Ravenswood set

Park It: Tarantulas’ longing for love goes on despite COVID-19 Compiling a list of community priorities is an important part of the process, said WooJae Kim, CIP coordinator for Oakland’s Office of Public Works.

“We don’t have any money allocated for this work currently, so that is the main purpose of this project,” Kim said.

In November 2016, Oakland residents approved Measure KK, a bond measure that sets aside funds for street repairs and some public facilities. Kim said the city is still trying to decide how to select projects for that funding, so input from the meeting may help that as well.

Maisha Ruth, a landscape architect with the firm of Stantec Architecture, stressed that nothing was set in stone when one resident said “no way” to a suggestion that the park might add a dog run.

“These are ideas,” she said. “Nothing’s been designed. Nothing’s been decided. It will not be forced on the community in any way.”

Use of the park has increased within the past 10 years with 300 to 500 people in the park during some summer days, said Recreation Supervisor Michelle Doppelt.

Using grant funds and some city money, Sausal Creek was reclaimed and now flows freely through the park past remodeled pathways and plants grown by the Friends of Sausal Creek.

On Jan. 21, a group of volunteers was busy planting along the creek banks. Once funds become available, more than 25 percent would be used to bring paths and other facilities into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which mandates that public facilities be accessible to users in wheelchairs.

A study conducted last year by the Diablo Engineering Group outlined a series of proposed improvements, including adding handrails to stairs, installing disabled parking stalls and new sidewalks.

One resident said the city should add lighting between Fruitvale Avenue and Wellington Street for those walking through the park after dark.

“I get a little fearful walking from Fruitvale to Wellington. It’s really dark,” she said.

Most residents agreed that the plan should include maintaining trees and open space, including a grove of trees that are more than 100 years old.

“It seems important to me that we replant so that 100 years from now, our descendants will still have a beautiful grove of trees,” one resident said.

Others urged the city to repair cracks in the park’s tennis courts. The courts are often the scene of late-night drinking by people who leave behind glass and other hazards.

“Maintain the tennis courts because as they decline, alternative activities are taking place,” Ruth said, while adding the suggestion to the list.

The park’s pool could also use some repairs. The showers and bathroom are not compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the pool is too large to host high school swim meets and “master swimmer” programs for adults, Ruth said.

Another resident wanted the city to return park patrols to enforce the rules because it’s hard to reach the police to report problems on the nonemergency line and often nothing is done.

Unfortunately, any money for park remodeling will cover capital improvements only and not maintenance, Kim said.

“Probably the next step is that we need to investigate how to maintain our facilities and parks but we are still in discussion about that,” he said.

The meeting attracted around 20 people, but residents said the turnout would have been larger if the planners had not held the meeting on the same day as the Women’s March in downtown Oakland. Any further suggestions can be directed to Kim at wkim@oaklandnet.com or 510-238-3389.