Friends of Sausal Creek |
Ten years ago, Dimond Park was an unsavory place, and Sausal Creek looked more like a drainage ditch than the open, healthy creek it is today. Today it is a place where fish and birds live, inviting hundreds of people to hike the calming trails each week. |
What happened? The Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) came to the rescue.Now we are ready to celebrate our ten years of success with a big birthday party. On March 24 we will get together at the Joaquin Miller Community Center, and, with the help of our neighborhood star Wendy Tokuda and the renowned Malcolm Margolin, we will celebrate our growth. Launching a grassroots community group like FOSC was an organic process. A confluence of groups came together, including neighbors, the Aquatic Outreach Institute (AOI), the City of Oakland, and the Alameda County Flood Control Department. AOI spearheaded the early meetings that helped come up with a name and advised on how to proceed with projects. FOSC became involved, and remains so today, in taking an area back from the dank smother of invasive plants and the dumped rubbish that trashed it. Today, the babbling stream beckons kids from the renovated playground to get wet, and mothers with strollers walk the trail that once was a test of courage. "You used to never see a soul at El Centro," explained Eleanor Dunn, a cofounder of FOSC who volunteers on its Board of Directors. "Now it's different; you're always running into someone else enjoying nature and experiencing the creek there." FOSC not only looked to protect and enhance the green spaces, such as in Dimond Park and Dimond Canyon, but also the urban spaces around them. "FOSC helped build a place to be proud of," explained Dunn. "Not only did FOSC restore and improve an ecological place, it was one effort to revitalize the Dimond, Glenview, Laurel, and other surrounding neighborhoods." Michael Thilgen, also a cofounder, added, "We had the long-term vision, improving the ecological health of our watershed and raising public awareness, with nature in our mix. Those two came into focus over the first few years." A dynamic group of individuals collectively led community members through work days. Also, environmental education, outreach (like this Metro article), a speaker series at the Dimond Library, and our newsletter got the word out. As a result, FOSC helped pave the way for others such as the Friends of Baxter Creek and Friends of Five Creeks. While some of the success of FOSC was planned, much of it was serendipity. "There's always a real need for people to take on a higher level of commitment and responsibility," explained Thilgen. "We're always looking for people with a mix of skills and talents, like lawyers, people running their own businesses, teachers, and some with training in ecology." "And we still need the help," emphasized Dunn. "Anyone who cares about these neighborhoods should join us. We're always looking for community input, so come share what you're thinking about." For more information about FOSC's 10th anniversary party, visit www.sausalcreek.org, or call 501-3672. |
