Extracted text · highlighting “Safeway”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 25    NO. 8    ISSUE NO. 270    September 4, 2010                     CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES

Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611 • 869-4200

RCPC Seeks Community Help With College Safeway Review
RCPC secures matching grant
for EIR review; funding required

community. Topics include traffic, bicycle
and pedestrian safety, air and water qual­
ity, noise, aesthetics, and perhaps land use.
Once the DEIR is released, the community
(DEIR) on Safeway’s proposed 62,000 sq.
ft. College Avenue shopping center project.
The report will look at the ways in
which the City believes the project, which
almost triples the size of the current 22,500
sq. ft. store, will affect the surrounding
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC chair
The city of Oakland will soon release
a Draft Environmental Impact Report
➧➧EIR Study Grant, page 10

July Town Hall: Residents Critique
Revised Rockridge Shopping Center Plans

RCPC Town Hall Meeting
AGENDA
September 2010
September 16, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College at Manila
Community Room (Upstairs)
The State of the City:
Council
President
Jane
Brunner
answers
your
questions.
The RCPC invites Rockridge
residents to ask Councilmember
Jane Brunner about Oakland’s
current issues. Do you wonder...?
y
y Do you wonder how the City’s
budget cuts impacted its services?
y
y Or how the police force is faring
with fewer officers?
y
y If or how the new zoning will affect
Rockridge development?
y
y Will the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)
provide better transportation for
North Oakland?
y
y Can Rockridge become a greener
neighborhood?
Coming in October:
RCPC hosts a special October Town Hall
mayoral candidates’ forum. Watch for
details in the October Rockridge News.

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC chair
R
CPC’s July Town Hall meeting hosted
David Zylstra, CEO of Safeway’s Prop­
erty Development Centers division, presenting
revised redevelopment plans for the 15.4-acre
Rockridge Shopping Center at Broadway and
Pleasant Valley Avenue.
Safeway plans to add about 120,000 sq.
ft. to the present 185,000 sq. ft. shopping
center space, including a new 65,000 sq. ft.
Safeway to replace the existing 50,000 sq.
ft. store. Safeway still plans to demolish the
current shopping center anchor, the 80,000
sq. ft. CVS store. CVS doesn’t plan to stay
in the rebuilt center.
RCPC chair Stuart Flashman discusses
the July Town Hall meeting agenda.
Photo: D. Kinkead
that it is proving hard to find a store willing
to provide that function.
Responding to many vehement audience
comments, Zylstra said Safeway is trying to
retain the CVS store’s many functions, espe­
cially the nursery/garden center. He admitted
Responding to earlier criticisms, Safe­
way added internal streets, and a new entry
and traffic light off of Broadway opposite
➧➧Safeway Critique, page 8
Our Branch Library and the Rockridge DVD Project
Bigger Than Netflix! And Free!
by Annette R. Floystrup,
RCPC boardmember
Tthe 2 million discs
shipped by Netflix
and almost the combined
total of DVD rentals at Redbox (1.4 million)
and Blockbuster (1.2 million).
he nation’s public libraries are loan­
ing more DVDs each day than Netflix
rents to its by-mail subscribers. According
to a new survey from the Online Computer
Library Center, a nonprofit national library
cooperative, public libraries lend an average
2.1 million videos per day. This is more than
Rockridge Branch Library Manager
Pat Lichter says, “Our library users love to
check out movies — and now, more than
➧➧DVD Project, page 8

New Address for Newsletter:  The Rockridge News, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA, 94611


2.

September 4, 2010

Private Property Meets Public Concerns
Saving the Trees Generations Have Enjoyed

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Annette R. Floystrup
Win response to the amount of community
input, re-inspected the eight liquidambars
and rescinded the permit.
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
CLOSED: Sunday and Monday; also 9/7, 9/9, 9/10
hen St. Albert’s Priory on Chabot Road
above College Avenue applied for a
City permit to cut down 10 mature trees,
neighbors swung into action. The removal
permit included eight healthy liquidambar
trees visible from Chabot Road bounding
the lawns to the west. As is often the case
in these times, the issue was money. It was
simply less costly to cut the trees down than
to prune them to ensure their continued
structural integrity.
Subsequently, an anonymous donor
has supplied financial assistance to meet
the pruning costs, and it appears that
generations of Rockridge residents to come
will benefit from and enjoy the beautiful
liquidambar trees so visible and valuable
to the community.
The Rockridge News, founded in 1986 by Don Kinkead,
is published monthly in Oakland and is sponsored by
the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC),
a nonprofit public benefit organization founded to:
preserve and enhance the unique character of the
Rockridge neighborhood; promote the health, safety
and quality of life of its residents; furnish a forum for
community involvement, and provide leadership and
representation of neighborhood interests.
St. Albert’s Priory
S
It is ironic that as a group of local
residents was meeting with Oakland Unified
School District to place as many trees as
possible on the Claremont Middle School
grounds for environmental mitigation, there
was a threat to eight large, mature and
healthy trees only 100 yards away which
were already a great environmental and
aesthetic benefit to the community.
t. Albert’s Priory, on property
extending between Chabot
Road and Miles Avenue, is the
largest green space in Rockridge.
The heritage buildings were built
on the site of an old estate, the
Perry estate – the origin of the brick
pillars on the corner of Birch Court
and College Avenue. The last and
largest wild section of Temescal
Creek flows in their back gardens
along Miles Avenue. The grounds
are studded everywhere with
oaks predating the Spanish. Many
specimen trees like the ginkos,
magnolias and liquidambars on the
Chabot Road side were planted by
the Perry family long before the
Priory was built in 1935.
Rockridge News Production
Don Kinkead	�����������������������Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Barry Kaufman	�������������������Food
Jo Ellis	�����������������������������������Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson	��������������������Neighborhood Merchant
Susan Montauk	�������������������Business Manager
Valerie Knight	���������������������Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2010-2011
Generations of Rockridge residents have
walked past those trees on their way to
school at Chabot Elementary and Claremont
Middle schools, as have thousands of
commuters, dog walkers and evening
strollers. No one, including the St. Albert’s
community, wanted to see those trees cut
down if it was not absolutely necessary.
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair
Andrew Charman	���������������Vice-Chair
Michael Kan	������������������������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo	���������������Treasurer
Annette Floystrup, Melinda Frey;
Jonathan Gabel, William Kaufner, Don Kinkead,
Alex Naughton, Ronnie Spitzer,  Ann Winterman
Contact the Board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Newsletter Subscriptions
An email plea to friends and neighbors
went viral through the neighborhood and
beyond. On August 24, the City granted
the removal permit for all 10 trees, but,
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send
your check for $20, payable to Rockridge News
Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions at
the address below.
Contacting The Rockridge News
	 Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
	 Do you have questions about newsletter

Join Oakland Parks Coalition Annual Survey

by Susan Montauk, chair, Oakland Parks Coalition
S

distribution?
	 Want to volunteer to be a Rockridge News
block captain?
	 Would you like to write a letter to the Editor?
Contact us at one of the following:

ince 2006, The Oakland Parks Coalition (OPC), with the help of scores of parks
stewards and volunteers, has surveyed nearly every park in Oakland to determine
the condition of grounds and facilities. This year’s survey event, known as Love Your
Parks Day (LYPD), begins at the end of August and ends October 2 with a gathering of
volunteers at the Lakeside Park Garden Center to survey remaining parks.

Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94611
RCPC Voicemail: 510/869-4200

The surveys are analyzed and incorporated
into a report presented to City Council at the
➧➧Survey: Parks Coalition, page 8

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or $3 OFF orders over $15
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601-1188
Mon – Fri  7 – 7 • Sat  8 – 6
Across from Trader Joe’s and Zachary’s Pizza
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Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
600 words; must include the author’s name, phone
number, e-mail address, and city or neighborhood
of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint a
Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 October 2, 2010
 October deadline is September 16, 2010.
Advertising rates are $26/column inch. Six-
month pre-pay rate available. For display ads,
call Jo Ellis at 653-3210 (after noon), or e-mail
joellis1@hotmail.com. RCPC reserves the right to
refuse any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate. (Classified ad contact, page 14.)


3.
September 4, 2010

The RCPC Land Use Committee meets on
Land Use Meeting Agendas
Contact Stuart Flashman at 652-5373 or chair@
rockridge.org for a copy of the current Land Use
Committee meeting agenda.
the fourth Wednesday of the month.
Next meeting: September 22. Rockridge Branch
Library, Upstairs Meeting Room: 7:30 p.m.
Land Use Update
Update Committee (ZUC) held two meetings
on the proposed zoning changes in North
Oakland. RCPC Chair Stuart Flashman
presented several suggested changes to the
proposed zoning for College Avenue. The
ZUC took no action on those changes. The
ZUC is continuing to hold hearings on the
proposed zoning revisions in other parts
of the City. After that, it will formulate its
recommendations, which will then go to the
full Planning Commission for consideration.
That’s unlikely to happen until October at
the earliest.
of the Safeway EIR.)
■
■Rockridge Shopping Center
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee chair
(Corner of Broadway and
Pleasant Valley)
See July Town Hall Meeting report,
page 1.
■
■Rockridge Montessori School
(6516 Broadway)
Neighbors of the Rockridge Montessori
School commissioned traffic consultants
Fehr & Peers to review the traffic study
that had been prepared for the school’s
owners. The Fehr & Peers report identi­
fied deficiencies in the study that called
the study’s conclusions into question, and
suggested there may be significant traffic
and safety impacts from the school’s pro­
posed expansion.
■
■Kumon Math and Reading
Learning Center (6019 College
Avenue, former location of
Synergy)
Sim Peyron seeks to locate a Kumon
Math and Reading Learning Center at the
former site of Synergy on College Avenue
just south of Claremont Avenue. The site
is a small (approximately 1400 sq. ft.)
storefront. The center would serve about
200 students from preschool to high school
age and would be open for students two
afternoons a week.
■
■College Avenue Safeway
Shopping Center, (Corner of
College & Claremont Avenues)
The City and its consultants are still
working on revisions to the Draft Environ­
mental Impact Report. The latest changes,
according to Oakland planner Peterson
Vollman, involve revising the parking layout
because Safeway was uncomfortable with
the number of compact car spaces that had
been shown. The City is also communicating
with the city of Berkeley’s Transportation
Division over whether the various traffic
signals on College Avenue and Claremont
Avenue will be coordinated.
At its August meeting, the RCPC board
voted, based on its review of the report,
to send a letter to the City asking that the
school submit a supplemental traffic study
to address the issues raised by the Fehr &
Peers report before considering whether to
approve the school’s application for further
expansion. The planner handling the case
is Ulla Britt-Jonsson (238-3322, ujonsson@
oaklandnet.com).
The Land Use Committee considered
the proposal and voted to recommend
against approval, based on the need to
continue to emphasize full-time retail uses
for street-level College Avenue storefronts.
The applicant was encouraged to look at
other less prominent locations in the area.
The RCPC board expects to take up the
application at its September meeting.
■
■Citywide Zoning Update
(See front page story on RCPC’s review
The Planning Commission’s Zoning
story single family dwelling.
Applicant: Shaun Masuda; 415/314-3198
Owners: Laurent and Morgan Rouquette
Permits Required: Regular Design Review for
1,170 sq. ft. second floor addition; Minor Vari­
ances to (a) construct the addition 1'-6'' and
3'-6'' from the side property lines where 5'-0''
minimum is required, and (b) to build the upper-
story 0'-0'' from the front fence face of the
building where 12'-0'' is the minimum required
where there is a one-story context for 60% of
the surrounding properties
Historic Status: Potential Designated Historic
Property (PDHP); Survey rating: D2+ (Hudson
and Shafter (HDS) historic district)
Planner: Caesar Quitevis, 510/238-6343 or
clquitevis@oaklandnet.com
detached accessory shed.
Applicant/ Cari Rosner Jelen/Sogno Design
Group; 510/526-2720
Owner: Kyenam Han & Kyong Hwang
Permits Required: Regular Design Review for
additions and alterations of 1,000 sq. ft.  or more
Historic Status: Potential Designated Historic
Property, Survey rating: CD?2+
Planner: Caesar Quitevis, 510/238-6343 or
clquitevis@oaklandnet.com
The Zoning Counter
The Zoning Counter is a compilation of re­
cent applications filed with the Oakland
Planning Department. Individuals may contact
the case planner or the Planning Department
for additional information by phone or on-line
at www.oaklandnet.com.
Compiled by Eric Neville
5369 Locksley Avenue
Proposal: To construct a 1,170 sq. ft. second
floor addition to an existing 1,200 sq. ft. one-
6207-6209 Colby Street
Proposal: Convert two vacant rental residential
units into 2 residential condominium units.
Applicant/ John E. Gutierrez; 510/647-0600
Owners: Jesse M. Brill and Laran C. Brill, Co-
Trustees of The Brill Revocable Trust
Permits Required: Tentative Parcel Map to
convert an existing two-unit residential building
into two residential condominiums
Historic Status: Potential Designated Historic
Property, Survey rating: Dc2
Planner: Jason Madani at 510/238-4790 or
jsmadani@oaklandnet.com
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
5549 Taft Avenue
Proposal: To construct a new 1,201 square-foot
upper story addition and expand the building
footprint 7'-0'' to the rear of an existing 1,394
square-foot single family dwelling for a total
2,800 square feet of cumulative floor area, and
to rebuild the rear deck and demolish the rear
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
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4.

September 4, 2010

Chabot Elementary: A New School Year; a Full, Finished Campus

yard play structure, the garden restoration
and much of the campus landscaping was
made possible through funds donated to the
Chabot: Way to Grow! campaign launched
by the Chabot PTA in 2008 to support
completion of the campus master plan. The
campaign reached its goal in spring 2010,
thanks to the generosity of over 150 Chabot
families, the greater Rockridge community,
and the support of such local foundations as
The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation
and The Rogers Family Foundation.
by Polly Winograd Ikonen, Chabot PTA
Sopportunities for all of our families who
need additional support.”
ince June 2008, the Chabot Elementary
campus has been abuzz with con­
struction vehicles, piles of dirt, yards of
temporary fencing, and almost 500 children
all choreographed in a tightly synchronized
schedule of lunches and recess with six
grades sharing one third of a playground.
Of Special Note:
■
■The Rockridge community is
invited to attend the Chabot Campus
Dedication and Open House Friday,
September 24, 4-5 p.m. Refreshments
and music provided.
When the 2010-11 school year began
on Monday, August 30, the long wait was
finally over, with Chabot’s new classroom
building fully occupied by kindergarten
through second graders, a fully outfitted
multi-purpose building for lunches, assem­
blies and indoor play, and two brand new
play structures – one on the upper yard for
third-fifth graders, and one for kindergarten­
ers in their new, dedicated play area behind
the new classroom building.
■
■Save the Date: The annual Chabot
Carnival is Sunday, October 24.
G
“We would like the opportunity to thank
everyone in person,”continued Mayer. “So
we invite the entire community to join us for
a special ceremony on Friday, September 24,
4 to 5 p.m., as we dedicate these wonderful
new features and facilities.”
In addition to the end of construction, the
new Chabot school year finds the staff
and teachers of Chabot, “fortunate not to
lose any teachers or staff this year – and we
are grateful that our partnership with the
PTA helps to maintain the level of resources,
although class sizes in the lower grades have
increased to 22-24 kids, to make up more
of the difference.”
“We are so excited to have our play­
grounds back,” said Chabot Principal
Jonathan Mayer. “Our upper grade kids have
their own space on the upper playground,
and we have our garden back – when the
new turf areas mature later this month,
we’ll be fully operational.”
GRUBBCO.COM
While some of the new buildings opened
over the course of the last school year, it
is the restoration of the upper playground
that makes the campus look and feel spa­
cious again.
T
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
Increasingly popular within the neigh­
borhood, Chabot accommodates families
from more than 20 ZIP codes, Mayer said.
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland
OUSD Superintendent Tony Smith
has made it a priority that schools act as
a community resource center for all their
families, and facilitate dialogue and learn­
ing between school communities. Mayer
explained that Chabot “has been moving
in that direction, with more after-school
he capital improvements to the Chabot
campus—primarily the replacement of
World War II-era portable buildings with
permanent classrooms and other structures—
were funded by Measure B, approved by
Oakland voters in 2006. The new upper-
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5.
September 4, 2010

Claremont Middle School: High Energy,
High Enthusiasm, High Expectations
30 new iMacs to support media and core
curriculum instruction. The program will
offer instruction in advanced 3-D modeling
using “Maya,” software generously donated
by Autodesk. Smartboards now available in
several classrooms and a mobile laptop cart
used to move from classroom to classroom
enable enhanced access to educational
instruction using digital tools. Claremont has
become a leader supporting digital media
instruction and computer supported learning.
To work on this amazing project, contact
Mike Mages at michaelmages@mac.com.
by Shona Armstong
Ppoints. The gains were so impressive that
OUSD recognized Claremont as one of the
most improved middle schools. Principal
Crockett is particularly proud that English
Language Learners posted double digit gains
in English Language Arts scores and that
Ms. Nagash transformed all of her summer
school 2009 students, who entered the class
scoring below basic or far below basic, into
proficient (or advanced) mathematicians. In
addition, the percentage of 8th grade science
students demonstrating proficiency or better
saw a stunning increase from 25% to 50%.
There is still room for improvement; students,
staff, and administration will continue to
work together to help all students achieve
at a high level.
Trincipal Kenya Crockett, well-seasoned
by her first year at the helm, is raring
to go. Vice Principal Kevin Taylor has
moved on to be principal of McClymonds
High School in west Oakland. Ms. Crockett
will be joined by a new Vice Principal,
John Stangl. Mr. Stangl was a Peace Corps
volunteer in Zaire 1989-1991. He taught in
the Oakland Unified School District from
1992 to 2006. From 2006-2008 he worked
as an elementary school science coach and
program coordinator. Most recently, he
has worked as the Assistant Principal at
Korematsu Elementary School.
The school has seen a large increase in
enrollment for the coming year, especially
in the population of incoming sixth graders.
They will all need maximum community
support, especially in the current climate
of extreme budget cuts. Luckily, there are
lots of ways to get involved. Here are a few:
Claremont saw impressive gains in
scores on the California Standards Tests
last year and plans to keep this positive
momentum. Also, Claremont increased
student English Language Arts and Math
proficiency by an average of 6 percentage
The Taste of Temescal
Set for Tuesday evening, September 14,
6 to 8:30 p.m., the Taste of Temescal will
benefit Claremont Middle School, Oakland
Tech High School and some local charities.
Local restaurants will provide tastes of their
best dishes and great drinks. Two pedicabs
will transport participants back and forth on
Telegraph Avenue from 43rd to 51st streets,
accompanied by live music along the route.
Buy tickets to this fun event at www.brown­
papertickets.com/event/123542.
hanks to the efforts of Principal Crock­
ett and parent volunteers, Claremont’s
unique digital media program, supported by
Project 7 (www.projectseven.org), will have










 
­
Community Potluck
Claremont will host a community potluck
Saturday, October 2, a fun, relaxed way for
families, teachers, and community members
to meet and mingle. To get involved in this
event, watch the school’s College Avenue
notice board or contact Cindy Wilson at
510/387-1004.


 
	
The Claremont Auction
The Claremont Auction will be upon us
before you know it! Saturday, October 30,
party with the Claremont community at the
Uptown Garage. During this “Monster Cash”
event you will pick up some fantastic deals,
and help fund PTA-supported enrichment
programs like the Project 7 Media Lab, the
library, and the music and art programs.
If you have questions about Claremont, if
you want to donate to the PTA, if you want
to get involved in your neighborhood school
by volunteering or tutoring, or if you simply
want more information about coming school
events, be sure to check out the website at
www.claremontms.org.


6.

September 4, 2010

Oakland Yellow Jackets: Home-Grown Bicycle Club on a Roll

 Yellow Jackets Club President
Fred McWilliams (front row, right)
Photos: Don Kinkead
by Bill Kaufner, RCPC boardmember
Ymonth at the Rockridge Library, the club
is a great resource for both new and expe­
rienced riders.
groups: light riders, humane intermediates,
advanced intermediates and advanced.
Though all groups start together, there are
different options and ride lengths for each
group as the ride progresses. For example,
the light riders might have a coffee shop
as a turnaround point, while the humane
intermediates use a BART station as their
return point. The advanced groups will go
at a faster pace and cover more ground.
Tou may have seen them: mostly clad
in yellow jerseys, rolling out of Lake
Merritt’s Fairyland early on Saturday
mornings, 40 to 50 strong, an impressive
sight as they begin their Saturday ride.
They are the Oakland Yellow Jackets
Cycling Club. Established in 1986, the
Yellow Jackets are a social, multi-cultural
bicycling club for women and men of all
ages and abilities. Holding monthly club
meetings on the second Thursday of each
The Yellow Jackets host an ambitious
riding schedule each season beginning in
April with an easy introductory ride for
new riders, culminating in a September
ride to Monterey with an overnight option
at Asilomar. Winter rides are “decide and
ride” on Saturdays so it really can be a
year-round activity. The club has a “no
drop” policy. Each ride forms into four
he club has supported community proj­
ects such as the Susan Korman Breast
Cancer rides. Plans are afoot to participate
in the 2011 AIDS Ride. Club president
Fred McWilliams and vice president Mary
McGowan, enthusiastic about club growth,
informed The Rockridge News of the current
200-plus membership, which includes road,
mountain, tandem, and hybrid bike riders.
The Yellow Jackets maintain a wonderful
website, www.oaklandyellowjackets.org,
replete with a ride schedule; FAQ’s; route
maps and elevations; and acute observations
about ride terrain, interesting sights, and
great places to stop.

Community Policing After Layoff of 80 OPD Officers

The City Council voted at the end of July to lay off 80 Oakland Police Officers.
What effects might this decision have on Rockridge businesses and residents?
The Problem Solving Officer (PSO) unit has been disbanded. PSOs
were officers assigned to Oakland police beats to investigate and address
public safety and traffic priorities identified by each NCPC (Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council). The Greater Rockridge NCPC encompasses
Beats 12Y & 13X. Nevertheless, OPD has pledged its continuing support
of community policing by having beat officers attend monthly NCPC
meetings. Residents can discuss public safety concerns face-to-face with
police officers.
NCPC Notes: Problem Solving
Officer Unit Disbanded
OPD will no longer send a patrol unit out to investigate crimes, and is
requesting that residents submit crime reports online instead. For a list of
these crimes and a link to the online crime reporting page, go to http://
www.rockridgencpc.com/. Violent crime or any other crime that is in
progress should be immediately reported.
The Greater Rockridge NCPC meets the 2nd Thursday of every month at
the Rockridge Library from 7-9 pm. The September meeting is cancelled:
the library is closed for Admissions Day. The next meeting is October 14.
Letter received by The Rockridge News from Beat 12Y PSO:
Editor: I didn’t get a chance to notify everyone, but with the layoffs in
OPD, the PSO unit was disbanded. As a result of this I no longer work
in north Oakland; I was re-assigned to east Oakland. So, it looks like the
“Ask-A-Cop” column will also have to be put down. I hope the residents
enjoyed it; maybe we will be able to pick it up again some time in the future.
Loses Ask-A-
Newsletter
Cop Author
— Patrick Gerrans, Problem Solving Officer, Beat 12Y

The Yellow Jackets welcome interested
riders. Roll on down to Fairyland next Sat­
urday around eight in the morning, and be
ready for a great time.
Praying - Serving - Growing
St. Augustine
Roman Catholic
Church
400 Alcatraz Ave.
Oakland
(between Telegraph
and College
Avenues)
510-653-8631
Mass Schedule
 Saturday: 5 p.m.
 Sunday: 8 a.m.
  & 10:30 a.m.
 Weekdays: 8:30 a.m.
Reconciliation
 Saturday, 4 p.m.
www.staugustineoakland.com


7.
September 4, 2010
a
rk Corner
Pcommunity members who volunteered their
time. We reminded the contractor to protect
the mural during the retrofit, and worked
with BART’s community relations represen­
tatives to ensure its safety. Unfortunately,
there was damage to the mural from the
contractor’s equipment, which BART has
acknowledged and taken responsibility for.
The mural will be checked by a specialist
for the best restoration options. Oakland’s
Public Art manager, Kristen Zaremba, is
working closely with us to make sure the
mural is fully and properly restored.
New Surfacing Under
Play Structures
G
A monthly update on
what’s happening at the
FRO
best community-built
and maintained
park in Oakland
Projects: Good News at Frog Park!
by Theresa Nelson, FROG chair
Irestored, and we appreciate his assistance.
Mural Damage to be Repaired
t’s been a project-filled summer for
the FROG committee (Friends of the
Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt), and good
things are happening.
Basketball Courts and
Dog Run Reopen
When BART’s retrofit work moved to
the other side of
Claremont, we
worried about
possible damage
to the beauti­
ful “Oceanus”
mural, the first
CalTrans mural
in the state.
FROG led the
work to fully
restore it in 2003,
with help from
the original art­
ists and several
This fall, we’ll launch a community
discussion about whether to change the
surfacing underneath the two play areas.
Currently, both have fibar, an engineered
wood chip specifically designed as a resilient
surface for use underneath play structures.
Fibar has many advantages, but one chal­
lenge is that sand from the sandboxes mixes
into the fibar area, causing the fibar to
become hard and matted. Eventually, it loses
its resilience and begins to rot, requiring
full replacement periodically. There may
be new options, and we want to hear the
The BART retrofit construction has
moved across the street from the park,
allowing the restoration of the basketball
courts. The contractor resurfaced both courts
and reinstalled the three backboards and
the ADA-accessible ball return. New nets
are expected soon as well. Also, the entire
dog park area is re-opened. Bob Franklin,
the BART director who represents the
neighborhood, worked actively with us to
ensure the new basketball courts were fully

Damage to mural
“Oceanus.”

➧➧FROG News, page 10
Frog Park Fall CLOSURE for Renovations

join us. Contact Howard Ferrier at hwferrier@
sbcglobal.net to set a time for your shift.
And, if you can lend a wheelbarrow or
shovel, also let Howard know (even if you
can’t volunteer), as we need extra tools.
by Howard Ferrier, FROG volunteer
coordinator
E
8 a.m. and goes until 6 p.m., resuming on
Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers
are needed in many roles:
very fall, Frog Park’s play structures
are closed for a day of intensive main­
tenance. Since 2001, we have collaborated
on this important maintenance with a ter­
rific group of neighborhood volunteers and
students from College Preparatory School.
See you on the 11th!
■
■carpentry skills are welcome but not
required
■
■digging out sand and wooden footings,
■
■re-sealing the special wood in the
structure
■
■sanding, and removing nails
This fall, the park’s 9th birthday, major
renovations are needed; the play structures
will be closed September 11-18. Pathways
and swings will remain open.
■
■cleaning graffiti
■
■weeding and cutting ivy
■
■replacing rotted wood.
Snacks and some lunch will be provided,
donated by local merchants.
Thanks to the community’s donations
to FROG over the years, we have sufficient
funds to remove all of the fibar and replace
it, and both sandboxes will have new sand.
FROG is also funding replacement of the
broken small green slide at the larger play
area near Hardy
We also need adults who can come from
8 to 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and
3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or on Sunday morning,
to help supervise our College Preparatory
freshman volunteers. Just one shift is a
big help.
Your help is vital to make the renovations
successful. Just as both play structures were
built by the community in October 2001,
we invite you to be part of maintaining this
important community resource.
If you use the park, you’re needed to
keep our park functioning and safe, since
the city is limited in what it can do.
FROG member Carol Behr, right, her
daughter Sara, and FROG chair Theresa
Nelson at the soon-to-be-replaced
slide. Photos: FROG Park Committee
Be part of doing something constructive
and important in our neighborhood. Please
Work begins Saturday, September 11 at


8.

September 4, 2010

from page 1
Rockridge Out and About

DVD Project
by Karen Hester, event coordinator
Tfashion shows,
d a nc e p er­
f o r m a n c e s
and DJs. The
Wellness Tent,
sponsored by
P h a r m a c a
and Namaste
Yoga, high­
lights local wellness practitioners
and includes free massage, acupuncture,
chiropractic and facials.
he 4th annual Rockridge Out and
About celebrates all things Rockridge
on Sunday, September 26, 12-6 p.m. along
College Avenue from Alcatraz to Manila.
The Rockridge District Association (RDA)
sponsors the event. Meet your neighbors and
make new friends on pedestrian-friendly
College Avenue.
ever, appreciate the fact that borrowing
movies at the library is free! We’ve seen
a big upsurge in use of our collections.”
The Rockridge Branch library has about
2,800 DVDs available; the Rockridge DVD
Project will double that number when com­
plete. The project has terrific selections in
classic, current and documentary movies plus
a large number of PBS mystery series and
cable TV series just waiting to be shelved.
Donations Needed
Sample delicious food and drink from
local restaurants including Khana Peena,
Wood Tavern, Ben ’N Nicks, Mitama, Á
Côté and many more. Market Hall hosts the
Chef Stage and Picnic in the Street where
local chefs will fire up the grills, demon­
strate cooking techniques and offer samples.
For schedules of tastings, demos and menu
offerings, go to www.rockridgemarkethall.
com or call 250-6010.
The Kids Stage will delight children
with live music and dance and the Kid’s
Court will present circus art by Kinetic
Arts Center, cupcake frosting and pumpkin
carving, 4-Square and hula hoops.
Your support will help DVD Project discs
reach Rockridge Branch Library shelves.
Each DVD costs about $11 to put on a library
shelf, including purchase, library cases and
cataloging. Because the cataloging company
can most efficiently process all the DVDs at
once, funds need to be collected in advance
for all the DVDs before any can be made
available to the library.
Visit the DVD Project Web Site
•	 Sponsors include Allstate Insurance, Crush,
Tootsie’s, Dreyer’s, and Claremont Middle
School.
•	 Valet bike parking provided by the East Bay
The Main Stage near Alcatraz is spon­
sored by Safeway and features the dance
bands SixString Band (classic rock), Chelle
and Friends (New Orleans funk) and Fito
Reinoso (Latin salsa).
Bicycle Coalition. Composting and recycling
by California Waste Solutions.
•	 Parking available at BART or Claremont
You can make your tax-deductible
donation and see the list of DVDs that you
will be supporting with your donation by
visiting www.RockridgeDVDProject.org
and clicking on the “Donate” button on
the left. Browse the lists of adult, teen and
children’s titles that your donation will help
add to the library.
Middle School.
•	 For additional details, go to www.rockrid­
The Rockridge Runway and New Style
Motherlode stage at Forest will feature
geoutandabout.com.
only city-wide park survey in Oakland.
Survey: Parks
Coalition
Surveyors are needed for the final day of
the Love Your Parks Day (LYPD) event this
year. The event meeting place is the Garden
Center at Lakeside Park (666 Bellevue) on
Saturday, October 2, at 8:30 a.m.
Thank you for your help expanding the
Rockridge Branch’s DVD collection.
from page 2
Donations are tax-deductible to the extent
allowed by law. Federal Tax ID no.: 94-3011284
beginning of the annual budget cycle in time
to influence decisions about park mainte­
nance staffing. Staffing has declined three
years running. Today there are just over
60 full-time employees, half the numbers
of the 1990s, even while park acreage has
increased over the years. The challenge of
keeping more than 3,000 acres of parkland,
medians and landscaped grounds clean and
green with minimal staff is daunting ; further
cutbacks would be disastrous. The survey
report gives a clear picture of the condition
of our parks at a moment in time. It is the
After a welcoming continental breakfast,
surveyors are trained and sent out in teams
to assess 3-5 parks.
Safeway Critique
Email us at oaklandparkscoaltion@
gmail.com if you are interested in participat­
ing and go to www.oaklandparkscoalition.
org for a rundown of LYPD 2009.
from page 1
Coronado Avenue [Wendy’s]. Several build­
ings will be two-story, with a three-story
building at Broadway and Pleasant Valley
and storefronts along both streets, possibly
with direct street entry. Cars will park on
a surface lot and two rooftop parking lots.
Audience members commented on the
difficulty for elderly and the disabled to get
to the new Safeway location at the rear of the
site, and suggested the need for an internal
shuttle bus. Zylstra said AC Transit staff has
rejected both a bus station within the shopping
center, and making the center the turnaround
point for the 51A/51B bus lines. RCPC Chair
Stuart Flashman promised that RCPC would
pursue this issue with AC Transit.
Complete architectural
services since 1970
5278 College Avenue
Oakland, CA  94618
(510) 654-6755   fax 654-3424
The sense of the audience was that the
project was a lot better than Safeway’s origi­
nal proposal, but still has a long way to go.


9.
September 4, 2010

may very well save one or more lives.
Letters to the Editor
This is the second time I have written AC
Transit about this shelter. Then, I received
a reply that staff had found that the shelter
met all legal requirements.
— Spreck Rosekrans
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your name,
address, phone number, e-mail address and city/neighborhood
must be included for verification. Only your name will appear
with your letter. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.
Ed. Note: Subsequent to his letter, Mr.
Rosekrans reported AC Transit representa­
tives told him the agency would evaluate
the situation after school is back in session.
at the behest of phone companies worried
about states (like California) threatening to
limit cell phone antenna installations. The
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (www.fcc.
gov/telecom.html) pre-empted all state and
local legislation and prohibited any attempt
by local authorities to consider the health
effects of cell phone towers in determining
whether to approve them. The act has left
local authorities, like those here in Oakland,
and citizens such as yourself, frustrated.
Wireless Antennas Are Worrisome
Editor:
The Zoning Counter column in the June
Rockridge News noted a permit request to
install a wireless communication facility at
5687 Miles Avenue. Studies measuring the
impact of electromagnetic fields on human
health have been reported as “inconclusive”.
...but the fact they have not conclusively
been proven harmless should provoke us
to take a closer look.
Shopping Center Transit Hub Idea
is Problematic
Editor:
I live off Claremont and Ashby and I
depend on AC Transit to get around.
I’m a Berkeley resident who signed up
for this newsletter [RCPC E-News] because
of the College Avenue Safeway issue. My
comment now is on part of the Rockridge
Shopping Center [51st and Broadway]
expansion.
Writing to your congressional representa­
tives would at least let them know of your
concerns, but would probably not lead to
changes in the law.
T
Is there anyone in our community (in
addition to the applicant) knowledgeable
about these installations? I’d like to be
relieved of my concerns or ready with
information to work with other relevant
neighborhood groups (like the San Fran­
cisco Neighborhood Antenna-Free Union
(SNAFU, www.antennafreeunion.org/
snafu.htm)
— Leslie Correll
A transit hub in the Rockridge Shopping
Center is, in principle, a good one. However,
having both the 51A and 51B go to the
BART station has a clear purpose that AC
should be applauded for (finally) realizing:
people need to get to and from BART. A
turnaround at the shopping center would
cause people going to Rockridge BART to
take a second, connecting, bus. For some,
it would take three buses to get to BART.
he following letter sent to Rocky Fernandez
and Greg Harper of the board of directors
of the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
(AC Transit) was also sent to The Rockridge
News as a letter to the editor:
Bus Shelter too Close to School
I am writing to point out a potentially
dangerous situation at the AC Transit bus
shelter at Claremont School on College
Avenue. It is dangerously close to the curb.
Busses come right up to the curb, often very
quickly. There is little room for pedestrians.
When the shelter is full of students from
Claremont Middle School, pedestrians or
the students themselves often spill into the
street due to the position of the shelter. It
is an accident waiting to happen.
Reply: Power Trumps Science
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC chair
Putting a loop for the 51A through the
shopping center wouldn’t be too bad, but
the problem with this as well as a stop at
the curb next to the center is that the bus
needs to get into the left lane to turn onto
College. Crossing that many lanes of traf­
fic, especially at rush hour when it’s dark,
could be problematic.
You are correct that the scientific studies
on health effects from the type of high-
intensity radio waves associated with cell
phone towers have been inconclusive. Some
European studies suggest adverse health
effects. However, political and financial
power have trumped science.
A few years ago, Congress stepped in
Thank you for considering the needs of
transit riders when commenting on these
types of plans. We need all the help we
can get!
— Rachel Resnikoff
Moving, modifying or eliminating this
shelter (there is shelter a very short distance
away under the freeway at Rockridge BART)
Henry C. Levy & Co.
Third Generation
Rockridge Resident
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Certified Public Accountants
and Consultants
A Professional Corporation
■
• tax preparation • estate planning
• tax planning
• business valuation
5940 College Avenue, Suite C
Oakland, California 94618
510.652-1000   FAX 510.654-2363
Ann Lovi
510.339.0400/351
alovi@grubbco.com
D.R.E. Lic. #01716499
GRUBBCO.COM


10.

September 4, 2010

$10,000 matching grant to pay the needed
experts. However, RCPC only gets to use this
money if it can be matched by community
donations. That’s where you, Rockridge
News readers and Rockridge community
members, can help.
FROG News
EIR Study Grant
from page 7
from page 1
community’s thoughts about this.
will have 45 days to review and comment
on the report. The City must then respond
to those comments in writing. The result
will be a Final EIR, which the Planning
Commission, and potentially the City
Council, will use in deciding whether to
approve Safeway’s project.
There will be a meeting at the Rockridge
Library in the fall, and we invite everyone
to attend to see physical samples of the
options, and discuss them. There’s also a
survey online, where you can tell us what
you think: http://www.surveymonkey.
com/s/FROGSurvey2010
New Restroom
In addition to your comments on the
Safeway project, we need your donations
to help fund the experts who will assure
that the project’s impacts on Rockridge are
fully and fairly disclosed, discussed, and,
where possible, mitigated. These experts
will also help compare Safeway’s proposal
to other proposed alternatives.
An EIR is a technical document, usually
requiring special expertise to determine
whether its analysis is accurate.
Construction of the new Frog Park
restroom should begin by December and
be finished in spring, 2011. It has taken a
number of years to work through the funding
and to determine the best location for the
restroom. The new location will be close
to the current Porta-Potty location, and
balances convenience for park users and
concerns of nearby neighbors. (FROG has
paid about $2,000 a year for the Porta-Potty.)
Realizing this, RCPC applied to the
Rose Foundation for Community and the
Environment, whose office is, coincidentally,
located on College Avenue, and received a
Make your contribtion by credit card or
Paypal at RCPC’s website: http://rockridge.
org/Safewayfunds.html. Donations can also
be made by mail, using the coupon below.

YES! I want to help RCPC protect Rockridge by making sure the EIR
for the College Avenue Safeway Project is complete and accurate. Here is my
contribution of $
.

We’re delighted that Frog Park users will
soon have a proper restroom. There will be
solar panels on the roof for lighting, as well.
FROG is a group of community mem­
bers who care about the park. We welcome
anyone interested in being a part of our
efforts to steward this community resource.
Visit our website, www.frogpark.org and
see “Contact Us,” or send an email to
info@frogpark.org

Name
Address
 City
 ZIP
Phone #
 e-mail
Thank you!
Mail to: RCPC, 4123 Broadway PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611.
Checks should be made payable to: RCPC/Safeway EIR fund.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Federal tax ID no.: 94-3011284
WINSTON’S PLUMBING
HEATING & ELECTRICAL
Norman H. Burg, DDS
lic.# 537739/554406
Since 1979
• Trenchless Sewers
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
• Earthquake Protection
• Tankless Water Heaters
• Remodel & Repair
510-652-8014
www.winstonsplumbing.com
A Prevention Oriented Practice
“”May your toilet never runneth over!”


11.
September 4, 2010

Join Creek to Bay Day Group: Saturday, September 25

Meet across from the Claremont DMV
parking lot at the corner of Cavour and
Redondo. We will clean the creek bed
through the Greenbelt along Redondo
between Clifton and Clarke.
by Margaret Pinter, DMV Neighbors
In an event sponsored by the DMV Neigh­
bors Association and the city of Oakland
Environmental Services Department, DMV
Neighbors will celebrate Creek to Bay Day,
with a volunteer clean up at Temescal Creek.
Oakland’s 15th annual creek cleanup and
beautification event will be held Saturday,
September 25 from 9 a.m. to noon.
You are welcome to join the clean-up
anytime between 9 and 11 a.m. But, there
are early-arrival benefits: Come at 9 a.m.
for coffee and morning snacks; reusable
aluminum water bottles commemorating
the event will be given to the first 50 vol­
unteers to arrive.
Our cleanup is part of the annual Inter­
national Coastal Cleanup. Their goal is to
have us remember that we are all connected
to the ocean; we are all responsible for the
trash we leave behind, whether we mean to
or not. It’s our opportunity to join the global
movement of giving back to the ocean by
spending one day cleaning up trash from our
world’s waterways and ocean. Their slogan
is: We can Start a Sea Change together.
Bring your own favorite gloves and
tools, well-marked with your ID. We can
always use wheelbarrows. Oakland Public
Works staff will provide many necessary
tools, including garbage bags, loppers,
rakes, hoes, brooms, litter pickup sticks,
and gloves.
Everyone is invited to join in. Kids: bring
your parents to play in the creek.
The clean-up will consist primarily of
litter removal, weed pulling and invasion
plant removal (getting rid of the ivy). The
result is satisfying; the creek always looks
wonderful when we are finished.
Questions? Contact Margaret, 510/655-
1767 or margaretpinter@aol.com.
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Me. I’ve been an Allstate Agent for 10
years. And riding bikes for 17. That means
I can talk all day about insurance features
and discounted rates, but I’d just as soon
talk about a new route you’ve found.
Let’s talk today.
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
Susan Bernosky, LUTCF
(510) 450 9050
5940 College Ave, #A
Oakland
susanbernosky@allstate.com
The market has been consistently cool for several weeks
with demand being low relative to the season and available inventory.
46% of properties in 94618 have had a price reduction.
For the week of: 8/30/10
Median List Price: $895,000
Avg. Days on Market: 98
Avg. Price per Sq. Ft.: $418
Want all the facts?
Stop by our office and discuss
94618 weekly updates with a
Rockridge McGuire agent.
The Cupped Hands logo is a registered service mark of Allstate Insurance
Company. Life insurance and annuities issued by Allstate Life Insurance
Company, Northbrook, IL and Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE.
In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge,
NY.  Property-casualty insurance products issued  by Allstate Fire and
Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate
Insurance Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company:
Northbrook, IL. © 2007 Allstate Insurance Company


12.

September 4, 2010

りきゅう
After 25 years of preparing
authentic Japanese cuisine
for exceptional restaurants
such as Kiku of Tokyo,
Mikaku San Francisco,
Kirala, and We Be Sushi,
Chef Tatsuya Koyake
decides to have his own
space to share his passion
for cooking. Come join
him for a taste of Japan.
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,

 Oakland, CA  94618

• Stuck?  Depressed?  Anxious?  Overwhelmed?
• People driving you to distraction?
• Doubting yourself?
• Difficulty coping?
It's time to engage the help of
a good Therapist . . .

510-658-2599

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to fit the size
of your interior or exterior
home projects.
www.angelissekarolcolor.com
Rikyu

TEL 510 595 7388
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Support Rockridge
News Advertisers
and college Avenue
Merchants –
Shop Locally

Sharon Testa-Harker, MFT
CA License No. MFC29310
Berkeley Office near the Claremont Hotel
      Office hours by appt.
      510-655-3289
a
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ALL Furniture Repairs
In-Home Services
New finishes & waxing
FREE ESTIMATES
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517-6280
Bruce Wagg
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cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue, Oakland  510 658-3665
Sunday worShip 10:30 aM • ViSit: capcchurch.org
our wonderful coMMunity Meal, fridayS, 6-7pM
a great opportunity to SerVe
SUMMER SALES STILL SIZZLING!
Closing Date
BR BATH Address
Original Price
LP
DOM
SP
7/20/2010
3
1.5
5220  Desmond
$649,000
$649,000
10
$712,000
7/21/2010
2
1
5227  Coronado Ave
$599,000
$599,000
9
$605,800
7/29/2010
2
1
5437  Belgrave Pl
$749,000
$749,000
21
$710,000
7/30/2010
4
2
5681  Ocean View Dr
$1,100,000
$995,000
39
$950,000
7/30/2010
4
2
5844  Ocean View Dr
$849,000
$849,000
13
$1,050,000
8/5/2010
2
2
5345  Broadway
$575,000
$575,000
9
$590,000
8/10/2010
2
2
401  Avon St
$689,000
$689,000
8
$690,000
• Rockridge currently has a 1.7 month supply of inventory • 72% of listings sold in Rockridge in the last 30 days sold for
over the original asking price • Average market time in Rockridge has decreased by a drastic 65% compared to a year ago
• Between last year at this time and this year, there has been a 7% increase in the list to sell price •


13.
September 4, 2010

OHA Rockridge

Schools, churches, clubhouses and
libraries followed. Rockridge became a
real community.
The
Rockridge
House Tour
September 26;
Make Note of It
By 1911 Rockridge residents had
already formed the “Vernon-Rockridge
Improvement Club,” precursor of RCPC,
intended to provide community input to
burgeoning development. Their community
hall was designed by architect Clarence
Tantau. Today you will know this building
as The Hut on College Avenue.
Our Neighborhood
R
Muse
ockridge as a neighborhood sometimes
seems a bit like an onion, revealing
its true nature only as you peel its layers
away.
by Ortrun Niesar
Perhaps you moved here only recently.
When you did, you knew this was a
great place to live because of easy
access to everything. You liked
stores, restaurants, bars, BART and
UCB all within walking distance of
your home. You probably were also
enchanted by the many exquisite
craftsman homes lining the streets
or the lovely architect-designed
homes above College. But there
was more to learn.
BART and the freeway later replaced
earlier modes of transportation, but
all the factors that influenced earlier
growth applied once more.
This Stick Style
h o m e
w a s
built in 1878
as a wedding
present from the
groom, William
Garthwaite, for
his bride, Mary
Mason. There
will be a garden
reception with
wine, cheese and
live music during
the OHA Tour.
Rockridge has survived these transitions
with grace and confidence in its intrinsic
value as a firmly rooted, richly textured,
vibrant community for all who live here
or visit here to enjoy.
OHA House Tour
September 26, 1-5:30 p.m.
We are so lucky to have the 2010
Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA) House
Tour happen in our neighborhood this
year. The focus is on the triangle bounded
by Highway 24, the Berkeley border and
College Avenue. This area has a history
of great estates bearing such names as
Pagoda Hill, Roselawn, Brower and Perry,
and of architectural innovation; artistic
brilliance and disruption and change.
Eight homes, including a Victorian, St.
Albert’s Priory and gardens, and a 1913
Bernard Maybeck home will be featured.
To purchase tickets, call 510/763-9218 or
go to www.oaklandheritage.org/rridge.
htm. Discounted advance registration
must be made by September 15. Day of
tour tickets will also be available at St.
Albert’s Priory, 6172 Chabot Road, and
designated areas near BART. (You are
encouraged to use public transportation
to the house tour which runs concurrently
with the Rockridge Annual Out and
About Festival.)
As you walked the neighborhood
streets, you marveled at a splendid
Victorian, discovered a hidden creek,
touched the columns of a majestic
gate or admired the magnificent
row of trees lining Chabot Road.
Perhaps you wondered why there
are such park-like grounds and open
spaces around St. Albert’s Priory when
Rockridge really has no public parks. Or
maybe you circled around that impressive
palm tree serving as a turn-around at
Ivanhoe and Harwood, looking enough
out of place to make you want to contact
the PBS History Sleuths.
Photo: Joyce Benna
Rockridge: From Past
to Present
At the end of the 19th century,
Rockridge, a place of great natural
beauty and resources, was a slow 4-1/2
mile dirt road horse and buggy ride from
Oakland. In fact it wasn’t even part of
Oakland until 1909. Between 1906 and
1915, however, the population of Oakland
rose sharply from 67,000 to 150,000
as San Franciscans displaced by the
1906 earthquate chose to stay and build
homes in Oakland. Rockridge had been
sufficiently isolated to serve as farmland,
orchards and estate properties, such as
the William Perry estate (Brockhurst),
which today houses St. Albert’s Priory.
In fact, these isolated homes, great
gates, trees and gardens are living
reminders of an earlier Rockridge
that flourished here before the age of
accelerated transportation.
If you keep your eyes open, you will
see these and other similar remnants of
Rockridge history everywhere, markers
that remain to tell the story of Rockridge
over the past 150 years.
Between 1909 and 1920, Rockridge’s
lucrative real estate development was
irreversibly in full swing. College Avenue
became a busy commercial district and a
transportation hub that included a street
car commute on College Avenue to
Berkeley, Oakland and the San Francisco
Ferry. Rail transportation could take you
from the corner of College and Shafter
(Miles), past Lake Temescal and through
the Old Tunnel in the East Bay Hills
to as far away as Chico. Automobile
travel made it easy to reach the homes
on winding roads in the Oakland Hills.
Rockridge
Architecture Lecture
September 6, 7:30 p.m.
Prepare for the OHA Tour: Jane Powell
will speak on Rockridge architecture in
the OHA lecture series, September 6,
7:30 p.m. at the Chapel of the Chimes,
4499 Piedmont Avenue. See you there.

5431 College Ave
        Oakland Ca 94618
510. 652. 5431

Ortrun Niesar can be reached at oniesar@sbc­
global.net or 510/326-2161
www.elizabethh.net



14.

September 4, 2010

High Holiday Services
Join us at Chochmat HaLev for vibrant, spiritual,
transformative High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah
Sept. 8-10, Yom Kippur Sept. 17-18. Free child­
care and children’s programming. Register for
tickets at www.chochmat.org/highholydays_10.
html or call 510/704-9687 for more information.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide quality housecleaning. We use
eco-friendly products because the planet is
important to us. Let us create free time for
you... call today! 510/228-5704. Excellent rec­
ommendations, Licensed, bonded & insured.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
94611. October deadline is September 16.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Aesthetic Pruning
I specialize in pruning trees & shrubs under 20
feet tall. I work with trees to enhance their
natural beauty. Specialties: maples, camellias,
fruit trees, & focal points. Pruning instructor
Merritt College. Bruce Thompson 510/428-4964.
Landscape Design
Need to refresh your landscape? Consulta­
tions, plans, planting design, edible gardens,
landscape structure permit drawings, exten­
sive horticultural education and experience,
complete portfolio and excellent references.
Please call Kathleen Carson-Asher 510/531-
4905 www.landesign.us
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick 510/761-7168.
Rockridge Bungalow
Vacation Rental
Fully outfitted with style! Best location. Steps
to College Avenue shopping, restaurants &
cafes. Home away from home. www.rockridge­
bungalow.com
Native Sun Gardens/
Ecological Landscape Design
Complement your home w/a drought tolerant
garden. CA natives, Mediterranean and edibles.
Plant lists, consultation & design. Petrol-free.
Included on the B.B.T. Natives Garden Tour.
Joshua Burman Thayer 510/332-2809. www.
nativesungardens.com
High Quality Gardening
Skilled maintenance, clean-ups, aesthetic
pruning, irrigation, design and installations.
Ecologically-minded since 1995 in the East Bay.
Personal attention, local refs, free estimates.
Green’s Gardens. 510/593-3490.
Energy to Spare
Former nurse-social worker in local area ready
to pitch in effort with anyone else wanting to
give the recession a run for its money. Excellent
references. HannaH 510/295-7026.
Fall Special! Penelope’s
Aesthetics Skin Care Salon
25% off waxing and facial services. Come visit
my salon in a serene garden setting and receive
excellent, relaxing services with a gentle and
personalized treatment. www.penelopecalef.
com By appointment. 510/594-1552.
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
Carpet Cleaning
Chemical Free Cleaning for your carpets,
upholstery, area rugs, pet urine and odor stains,
mattresses and more. Please call today for a
free estimate and find out about our low rates
and promotions! 510/776-8115.
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
Electrical Repairs & Remodels
From doorbell repair to whole-house rewiring,
we’ve been doing electrical work in Oakland and
Berkeley for over 30 years. Sutorik & Company,
www.sutorikandco.com, lic#397149. 510/655-3677.
Repairs
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks,
fences, drainage, tile, windows, walls, dry rot,
termite damage, foundation. Lic# 458473. Don
510/812-0310.
California College of the Arts
extended
education
fall
201 0
Fall registration is happening now!
www.cca.edu/extended
Computers
CCA Extended Education classes range from
one-session workshops to 11-session courses
design
Day, evening, and weekend classes
San Francisco and Oakland campuses
fine arts
For course listings and registration information
visit www.cca.edu/extended
or call 510.594.3710
writing
Register as soon as possible to ensure your place in class.


15.
September 4, 2010

E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone 653-3210 (after noon), or mail to:
Rockridge News Community Calendar, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611. Deadline is the next to the last
Tuesday of the month.

Compiled by Jo Ellis

to info@WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Calif. College of the Arts (CCA)
Faculty Exhibition: Works by artists, architects, and
designers on CCA’s faculty.
September 8-24. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8:30am.-noon and
1-4:30 pm (closed Wed. mornings). Reception: Wed.,
Sept. 15, 5:30-7:30 pm. CCA Oakland campus, 5212
Broadway, Oliver Art Center. Info: 510/658-1224 or
510/594-3712
Rockridge Out & About 4th Annual
Street Festival

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council (NCPC)
Lobby Display Case:
y
y Sept.: Oakland Quilters.
 Oct.: Exhibit by Martha Snyder.
The residential and business community meets with
OPD to discuss concerns about crime and public safety
the second Thurs. each month, 7pm. Rockridge Library,
upstairs meeting room, 5366 College Ave. The Sept mtg.
is cancelled (library closed for Admissions Day). Next
mtg.: Oct 14. Visit the NCPC booth at Rockridge Out
& About on Sept. 26. Info: chair@rockridgencpc.
com or www.rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
LIBRARY HOURS
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Sunday, 9/26, noon to 6pm along College Ave. between
Alcatraz and Manila. Events include Market Hall’s annual
“Picnic in the Street” at College and Shafter, with local top
chefs and mixologists offering demos and comparative
food and wine tastings. Enjoy the Cookbook Exchange;
live music and dancing; fashion shows; lots of kid’s activi­
ties and much more. Organized by the Rockridge District
Assn. (RDA). Info: www.rockridgeoutandabout.com.
See article p. 8.
Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA)
Rockridge House Tour
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed: Sundays and Mondays;
also Tues. 9/7 for Labor Day; Thurs. 9/9 (Admission
Day); and Fri. 9/10 (City furlough day).
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings/Events
All events are FREE and open to the public.
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN
y
y Sun., 9/12, 3pm. David Herlihy: The Lost Cyclist:
The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His
Mysterious Disappearance.
y
y Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday, 10:30am.
y
y Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed., 10:30am.
y
y Mon., 9/13, 7pm. Amnesty International Meeting
y
y Baby and Toddler Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed.,
(2nd Monday each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
10:30am, upstairs.
Special Events:
“A SLICE OF ROCKRIDGE” will feature eight vintage
homes in Upper Rockridge, as well as Saint Albert’s
Priory. Sunday, 9/26, 1 to 5:30pm. How to sign up for
the tour: see item in “The Rockridge Muse” p. 13.
2nd Annual Volunteer Fair for
Oakland Schools
y
y Tues., 9/14, 7pm. Discussion with Gwynne Dyer
y
y Papel Picado and Other Cut-Paper Crafts: Kids 5
(Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World
Overheats) and Rebecca Solnit ( Paradise Built in Hell:
The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster).
and older. Thurs., 9/23, 4 to 5pm.
FOR TEENS
y
y Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Ages 13 and up,
y
y Thurs., 9/16, 7pm. Publication party for local author
watch and talk about anime (Japanese animation).
Second Tues. each month (9/14, 10/12), 5 to 6:30pm,
upstairs meeting rm. Info about teen programs: Susy,
597-5017.
FOR ADULTS
Skip Horack: The Eden Hunter.
Work with students of all ages. Get full training and sup­
port for a program that matches your interests, abilities
and schedule. Sample programs include reading tutors;
science coaches; teacher’s aids and library assistants,
garden and art projects; after-school homework helpers
and much more. Saturday, 9/11, 1 to 3pm at Westlake
Middle School (cafeteria), 2629 Harrison St. (at 27th).
Free parking; entry on 27th St. Sponsored by Montclair
Community Action Group in partnership with OUSD and
other school-based non-profits. More info at http://www.
montclairaction.com/volunteer-fair-2.
North Oakland Senior Center
y
y Mon., 9/20, 7pm. Brad Warner: Sex, Sin, and Zen: A
Buddhist Exploration of Sex from Celibacy to Polyamory
and Everything in Between.
y
y Wed., 9/22, 7pm. Pseudonymous Bosch: This Isn’t
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers
What it Looks Like.
welcome. Bring 16 copies of up to 5 pgs. (double-
spaced, manuscript margins) of any prose for
on-site reading/discussion (you’re also welcome to
come empty-handed). Third Saturday each month,
1 to 5pm. Sponsored by the California Writers Club,
Berkeley branch (www.berkeleywritersclub.org.)
Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
y
y Sun., 9/26, 3pm. Jory John and Avery Monsen: All
My Friends Are Dead.
y
y Thurs., 9/30, 7pm. Book launch party for Leslie Brody:
Irrepressible: The Life and Times of Jessica Mitford.
y
y Sun., 10/3, 3pm. Steven Kotler: A Small Furry Prayer:
Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life.
y
y Sun., 10/10, 3pm. Michael Krasny: Spiritual Envy:
Programs include: Arts and crafts; health Insurance
counseling; dancing and exercise; trips, tours and theater
outings; Alzheimer’s caregivers support groups and more.
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
An Agnostic’s Quest.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. Info about
other events and book discussion groups: 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Wisteria Ways House Concert Series
referrals. First Tues. each month, 6 to 8pm. Advance
sign-up starts 5pm. NOTE: Cancelled Sept. due to
Labor Day holiday.
ART EXHIBITS
Gallery:
y
y “Generations on Line”: New free on-line program
to assists seniors new to computers; set up email,
explore the internet and more.
y
y Annual Trip to Apple Hill: Mon., Sept. 27, 7am to
y
y Sept.: Group Show: mixed media paintings.
Bluegrass Intentions: Special one-time only East Bay
reunion featuring Eric and Suzy Thompson, Bill Evans,
Alan Senauke and Markie Sanders. Blend of traditional
bluegrass, old-time, Cajun and blues. Saturday, Sept. 25,
3pm (door opens 2:30pm). $15-20 donation for musicians
(cash only at the door). 383 61st Street. Outside concert:
wheelchair accessible. Bring a blanket,/lawn chair and
picnic. For reservations (highly recommended), RSVP
6pm. Travel by luxury motor coach to Placerville apple
country. BBQ lunch with fresh apple pie. Sign up at
registration desk. More info: 597-5085.
New hours: Mon. – Fri., 8:30am to 4pm. 5714 Martin
Luther King, Jr. Way. Subscribe to “The North Oakland
Senior Times” for classes/events, lunch menus, mem­
bership, and volunteer opportunities. Info: 597-5085.
y
y Oct: Rockridge Community Photography Group:
Annual exhibit. Reception for the artists; Tues.,
Oct 12, 5 to 8pm. Info: Irving Wiltshire, iswirving@
earthlink.net.
Wonderful, ongoing,
weekday classes for
babies or toddlers
A
Mov
e
m
e
nt
Ortrun Niesar
Prog
ram f
or
Drop-ins or sign ups
for ALL families: songs,
slides, tunnels, parachute play,
bubbles, a fab ball pit, rocking
horses & more!
A
L
L
Senior Marketing Consultant
Fa
mi
lie
s
Prudential California Realty
2 Tunnel Road
Berkeley, CA  94705

510-326-2161
oniesar@sbcglobal.net
Thank you for your referrals!
.

For 9 months up to 3 years with an adult
Dawn Margolin  |  510.547.7726
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland
(near the Grand Lake Theatre)
w w w . t b a o a k l a n d . o r g / k i n d e r g y m


16.

September 4, 2010

INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
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Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
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sun-tues 10:30-5:30
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KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

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29
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5353 College Avenue
Oakland

Coming Soon
This striking 3-bedroom 3-bath Mid-Century Modern
home on Margarido Drive was designed with easy living
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PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
Rockridge:  5400 College Avenue
 Elmwood:  2930 College Avenue
Weekend Brunch in Elmwood
For Sale – rockridge
5950 canning St.     2beds/1bath    Call for Price
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coming Soon – rockridge
Looking for a Contractor?
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ron kriss, Broker
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510-547-5970 Ext. 55
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www.lawtonassoc.com
R E A L   E S T A T E
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