Spring ’09 Lake Merritt
Thursday, May 28th, 2009if you’re an oaklander and haven’t been by lake merritt lately……..GO. you will be impressed by the progress!! once they got to work, they got to WORK. if you know me you know i love lake merritt. i have some interesting wildlife sightings to report but first some business….
new paths are complete ringing the lake’s edge from the grand/lakeshore pergola to E. 18th and on this same section the wider jog-path along lakeshore dr. is nearing completion. the paths from E. 18th to 12th st remain unimproved and i’m not sure what the plan is for the lakeside dr area around the camron-stanford house (from 12th st to the new, improved boathouse). maybe this will all be part of the 12th/14th st re-work. anyone know? is that $ approved in measure DD? the lakeside dr. boathouse is also looking great. the landscaping is going in and the parking lot is shaping up. cafe on the lake…YAY!! from the boathouse to the madison/lakeside dr intersection the paths are complete but from madison all the way around grand ave/lakeside park to the pergola there are no new improvements. again, not sure what the plan is but certainly new paths will be coming. can’t imagine they will mess with this during the high-traffic summer months tho, eh?
ok – now to fun stuff. i mostly keep my eyes on the water as i have my daily walk around the lake. each season brings new wildlife. now that the winter birds are gone i cast my gaze beneath the surface as the clear water flows in from the bay and the lake provides a safe place for fish to spawn. i also occasionally see huge flounders skimming the bottom. new this year are the large, white jellyfish. i’ve seen one on 3 different days, 3 different parts of the lake, pulsing thru the water. one day the tide was carrying the jelly under 12th st to the estuary. interesting! other than that the circle of life continues despite the inevitable challenges encountered by a lake bounded on all sides by an intensely urban environment. i’m amazed every day by its resilience! i will post some new pics soon.
when i’m not gazing at the water i’m conducting social experiments to learn the demographic who most often makes eye contact and who subsequently smiles. i’m a big proponent of smiles. the best religion i know. maybe one day i’ll write about my smile-study findings…….
i love urban nature. so much to absorb.
Peggy Rehm