Friends of Crown Beach and why YOU need to donate

By now I'm sure most of you have heard about the plans to build high density housing on the parcel that was once owned by the GSA across from Crab Cove. In 2008 the voters of Alameda passed Measure WW to rezone the area from residential housing to open space for the expansion of East Bay Regional Parks. Unfortunately, the land was sold as surplus and Measure WW seemed to be ignored and housing a housing plan was put in place.

Fortunately, there has been a big push back from residents of Alameda, the State of California and the Sierra Club. With the hard work of some very special individuals we have another ballot initiative to reaffirm the voters decision to expand the open space of Crown Memorial and Crab Cove.

With all the recent development in the City I think it is very important to fight to keep whatever open space we have left for future generations. Alameda Point is being developed, the parcels on Buena Vista and Clement St are being developed and plans to develop the Del Monte Cannery are also being put in place. All of these places I have enjoyed with my family. I have taken my son fishing off the piers of behind the cannery. Launched rockets in Alameda Point across from The USS Hornet (very surreal),  and have spent many hours watching my kids and friends play in the water at Crab Cove. We've have frequented the Visitors Center and have biked along the bay trail of what once was Sunny Cove, Sunset Beach, Palm Beach, Surf Beach, and of course Neptune Beach. I'll let that sink in for a bit. Many of you may not know that Washington Park used to have a Bath House up until 1950. In fact, the shoreline along Central Ave was filled with bath houses and beaches.  All of what remains west of Webster Ave is the Book Store located at 5th and Central. The rest has been developed into high density housing. This is the reason WHY I have attached the pictures below. I want you to see what the area was. Today we huddle on a tiny cove but back then, before the fill you can see how special it was and why the Crab Cove Open Space Expansion Initiative is so important. Just imagine biking, walking or even driving to the Cove and instead of trying to avoid looking to the right at another housing complex you now see open meadows and views of the mountain ridges over looking the west bay. Just imagine if the residents back then had the power that we do today to stop the fill and destruction of those beaches. In some ways, I feel that we owe it to them. 

This is the last piece of bay front parcels in Alameda that could be left alone for ALL to enjoy vs. a few hundred. It's one of the only times that we can make a difference on the islands plan to preserve a simple thing of beauty for us to enjoy throughout our lifetimes. There is no doubt in my mind that older residents reflect and remember what Central Ave looked like before the shoreline was hidden by high density housing. Today all we have is postcards to look at. It is my hope that we can come together and take back what belongs to all of us. I look forward to enriching the lives of everyone with new possibilities to create special moments for us to reflect back on instead of saying "I remember when that was going to be open space".

Here is the link for "the Friends of Crown Beach" site. You to donate funds to help with this very special cause. While money is important there are other things that you can do to help with very little effort on your part. They have provided letters for you to send to the elected officials and all you need to do is print and/or email them. Of course you're more than welcome to express your own views to the the powers that be.
Mayor Marie Gilmore - mgilmore@alamedaca.gov 
Vice Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft - mezzyashcraft@alamedaca.gov 
Councilmember Lena Tam - ltam@alamedaca.gov
Councilmember Stewart G. Chen - schen@alamedaca.gov 
Councilmember Tony Daysog - tdaysog@alamedaca.gov