Final Link in Chain of Parks Assured as City Votes Funds - Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) 18 Sep 1946, Wed • Page 4

Final Link in Chain of Parks Assured as City Votes Funds Wed, Sep 18, 1946 – Page 4 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

Final Link in Chain of Parks Assured as City Votes Funds 

Purchase of a 22-acre strip of property to complete Oakland's chain of parks was assured today as the City Council appropriated the remainder of the $13,000 required to obtain the final link.


The resolution appropriating the necessary $2500 was adopted unanimously by the City Council on the recommendation of City Park Superintendent William Penn Mott Jr., and Directors R. C. Bitterman, Nat Levy and W. F. Ostrander of the City Park Board.

Acquisition of the 22 acres will give the city of Oakland a single chain of parks extending from the geographical center of the city in Dimond Park up Dimond Canyon, thence up Palo Seco Creek past Joaquin Miller Park and Woodminster to Skyline Heights among the native redwood groves.

CONNECTS PARKS 

The strip to be purchased from the Capitol Company is contiguous to Redwood Regional Park of the East Bay Regional Park District. It spreads to the Contra Costa County boundary line and connects Oakland's 900-acre Sequoia Park with the district's 1500-acre Redwood Park.

At the same time the land acquisition will enable City Engineer Walter N. Frickstad to carry out the projected realignment of Skyline Boulevard. The artery will be straightened out considerably and will connect directly with Melville Drive.

Mott disclosed that conferences are being conducted with officials of the East Bay Regional Park District to integrate the development of the two park systems.

URGED BY OFFICIALS 

Several months ago the City Council appropriated $12,500 toward the purchase and the Park Board at its last meeting voted to put up $2500 more out of its own funds upon council approval to complete the acquisition.

Acting City Manager Don M. Follett recommended the appropriation and both Acting Mayor George R. Peters and Councilman John F. Slavich endorsed the Park Department's program.

In acquiring property for future development Mott found a parallel in Lake Merritt, "where nothing was done for 20 years," he said. Cost of purchasing the property at the time actual development was undertaken would have been prohibitive, he declared.