Bike, Stroll and Play at Lake Merritt During Love Our Lake Day June 9

From a City of Oakland press release:

On June 9, enjoy a fun-packed Sunday around Lake Merritt as Love Our Lake Day celebrates Oakland’s investment through Measure DD that has transformed the lake.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., pedal or stroll around the lake and explore the surrounding neighborhoods in a family-friendly setting at Oaklavía - Oakland Sunday Streets. The free, festive event will enrich three miles of car-free streets with recreational and cultural activities.

At 2 p.m., join Mayor Jean Quan on the south end of the lake for the grand opening of Lake Merritt Boulevard featuring a beautiful new amphitheater and four-acre park. 

“Love Our Lake Day encourages residents and visitors alike to experience the many Measure DD improvement projects that have transformed Lake Merritt and the surrounding parkland,” said Quan. “The new pathways and bridges make walking and biking around Oakland’s iconic lake easy and safe.”  

Oaklavía by the Lake will close three miles of streets around Lake Merritt to vehicular traffic to make way for pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy a day of family-friendly fun.

Over 40 separate activities are planned throughout the day to get folks out of their cars and enjoy Oakland’s beautiful climate while exploring Lake Merritt, Lakeside Park and surrounding neighborhoods.

A sampling of the performances and interactive activities includes salsa dancing, Taiko drumming, martial arts, sports, a bike rodeo, yoga, hula hooping, belly dancing and free bike rentals (with credit card deposit).

Event goers can also paddle and pedal the lake in kayaks, pedal boats or just enjoy the ride on pontoons and gondolas. Some rides are free and some are for a small charge. Bring cash and ID's to rent. Some of Oakland’s renowned food trucks will be on hand to provide tasty treats to fuel revelers as they progress around the lake. 

The grand opening of Lake Merritt Boulevard at 2 p.m. will be held at the new amphitheater and four-acre park at the south end of the lake. Mayor Quan will be joined by representatives from the Measure DD Community Coalition to mark the completion of this major transformative milestone.

Prior to the formal dedication program, local artists will provide musical entertainment. In addition, information booths and photographs will highlight the many transformative projects brought about by Measure DD, the voter-approved bond for Clean Water & Safe Parks.

This $47 million phase of Measure DD improvements at the south end of Lake Merritt saw the removal of the 12th Street dam, culverts and twelve-lane roadway and the creation of a new six-lane, tree-lined boulevard and free-span bridge that better accommodates park users, pedestrians, bicyclists and wildlife.

This work allowed for the re-opening of a 750-foot section of the Lake Merritt Channel which had been restricted by man-made structures since 1869. Restoration of the 100-foot-wide tidal channel included improvements for water quality and wildlife habitat and creation of a new two-thirds-of-an-acre tidal marsh. 

The Measure DD channel restoration work has increased tidal flow by 50 percent to help mix and oxygenate the lake’s water and provide more tidal flushing. Tidal flushing improves the water habitat for fish and birds. In addition, vegetated swales and water quality basins further improve water quality by filtering stormwater before it reaches the lake.

New pathways under the vehicular bridge and a new pedestrian bridge across the channel allow walkers, joggers and bicyclists to safely loop around Lake Merritt. The new recreational trail will eventual connect to the San Francisco Bay Trail. 

This phase closes the gap in the existing Necklace of Lights with the addition of 11 new lampposts and will also include a public art element. The art installation will be a series of light-based sculptures created by Oakland-based artists Todd Blair and John Colle Rogers mounted along the pedestrian pathway walls flanking the channel under the 12th Street bridge. 

Love Our Lake Day participants can access event activities and performance schedules on their mobile phones attndrbox.com/loveourlake, on the event’s websiteloveourlakeday.com or by calling (510) 444-CITY.

The event is accessible by BART (Lake Merritt, 12th Street/City Center and 19th Street stations) and several AC Transit bus lines. Public transit is encouraged and transit planning information is available at 511.org or by dialing 511. 

Time lapse video of Lake Merritt Boulevard (Jan 2011-Nov 2012), part of 2013 Oaklavia route
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUpEXD1-e-M&feature=youtu.be
credit: Erik Niemann

Love Our Lake Day is presented by the City of Oakland, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland and Measure DD Community Coalition. Event sponsors include the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, PG&E, AT&T, BART, AC Transit, East Bay Express, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Clif Bar, TransForm, Lake Merritt – Uptown District Association and Sierra Club as well as other in-kind contributors.