Residents Readied to Shape Future of Oakland’s Shores

Tag along with Oakland residents as they visit and learn about the Oakland shore, an area that often seems remote and inaccessible to those who live in nearby neighborhoods. Acres of industry and urban infrastructure, not to mention the trucks and traffic of an international port, stand between their homes and the slivers of open space and parkland right on the water.

To ensure that local residents will have a voice in the City of Oakland’s planning process for the shoreline, the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project launched the Oakland Shoreline Leadership Academy in summer 2021. This fall, the group visited Middle Harbor Park, the Martin Luther King Shoreline, and other parks, where Bay Area naturalists, scientists, environmental planners, and policymakers shared their knowledge. “We want to give participants the information they need to plan their own shoreline projects—and to organize fellow residents to become involved as well,” says academy director Phoenix Armenta. Journalist Kristine Wong (kristinewong.com) followed their progress over two weekends for KneeDeep Times.