HNA News: Tenth Anniversary Thanks & Proclamation; Design Charrette next Sunda;, Ashby BART meeting cancelled

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter*

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In This Newsletter

1. Mayor's Proclamation Honoring the Tenth Anniversary of Halcyon Commons Park

2. Halcyon Commons Rejuvenation Project: Design Charrette, This Sunday, October 8, 2:30-5:00 p.m.

3. Tonight's Ashby BART Task Force Planning Meeting Cancelled

Well over one hundred people attended our Tenth Anniversary celebration of Halcyon Commons this past Sunday despite the gray skies. I hope everyone had a great time! Special thanks to those who made it possible:

* John Steere, who organized the event, contributing his considerable talent once again to bringing the neighborhood together.

* Michelle Thelen-Steere, who made calls to invite people who had helped with the original conception and creation of the park, and who helped with the set-up.

* Dawn Rubin, who kept kids entertained, especially during the speeches!

* Oranamamu, who entertained with storytelling for kids.

* Kate Day, who kept track of tables and chairs and other logistical details as well as helping set up.

* Carolyn Hand, who obtained the block party permit and provided road barriers.

* Whole Foods Market, which contributed food and beverages; Mokka (the new cafe at Telegraph and Dowling), which contributed coffee; and PecoPeco (catering company of our neighbor Mika Konishi), which contributed food.

* All the neighbors who contributed festive food items.

* Band members of the Forreal foreals, who provided the incredible music.

* Rosey Jencks, who arranged for the music.

* Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who loaned us his sound system, tables, and chairs, and who arranged for and read the Mayor's Proclamation honoring the Tenth Anniversary (see item 1).

* Speakers John Steere (who also served as MC), Bruce Wicinas, Nancy Carleton, Allen King,  Councilmember Kriss Worthington, Deputy City Manager Lisa Caronna, and Nicole Milner, all of whom reminded us of the history and context of Halcyon Commons.

* PBob Maron and the city crew, who gave the park some extra attention before the event.

* Everyone who loaned tables and chairs for the event, including the Model School.

* Everyone who helped weed and trim in the park.

* Lupe Alcala, who filmed interviews conducted by Michelle Thelen-Steere.

* Everyone who passed out flyers and helped get the word out.

* Anyone I missed! (It wasn't personal!)

If you were taking pictures or filming the event, please pass a copy of  whatever turned out well on to me at 3044-B Halcyon Court or <ngc2@mindspring.com> for use in our Halcyon Commons DVD Project, which is currently underway based on footage and interviews from ten years ago (save full information/data for photos; CD format ideal for photos, high-quality DVD copy for camcorder footage).

Thanks, all!

-Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-Newsletter Editor

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1. Mayor's Proclamation Honoring the Tenth Anniversary of Halcyon Commons Park

IN HONOR OF THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF HALCYON COMMONS
 
WHEREAS, in 1992, at a Summer Solstice block party in the 28-space parking lot in the center of Halcyon Court, the comment "Wouldn't it be nice to have a park here!" led to the birth of Halcyon Neighborhood Association (HNA); and

WHEREAS, a core group of neighborhood leaders - Nancy Carleton, Susan Hunter, Michael Lamb, John Steere, and Bruce Wicinas - led a Steering Committee and dozens of neighborhood volunteers who donated their professional skills and labor through the four-year process of designing Halcyon Commons and getting City approval and funding of $109,000 to create the park in a collaborative City-neighborhood partnership; and
 
WHEREAS, over a hundred volunteers participated in breaking up and removing asphalt and in planting twenty-two trees and hundreds of shrubs and bushes, and laying sod - working alongside City crews and contractor Scott Parker - as well as in crafting the most beautiful bulletin board in Berkeley, a lovely entry arbor, and a unique Father Sun bench, resulting in the completion of the park in the summer of 1996; and

WHEREAS, in the ten years since, HNA has fulfilled its promise to help maintain the park with regular work parties where neighbors weed, trim, and mulch while building community; and

WHEREAS, the organizers of Halcyon Commons joined with other Friends of Parks groups in creating the nonprofit Berkeley Partners for Parks (BPFP), an umbrella organization that works to improve parks and open space in Berkeley by involving hundreds of citizen volunteers in dozens of adopt-a-park groups throughout the City (with Halcyon Neighborhood Association being the first group adopting a park-yet-to-be); and

WHEREAS, Halcyon Commons and its creation thereby have served as a model for other greening efforts in the City Berkeley, leveraging City funds through positively organized community collaboration,
 
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Mayor Tom Bates gratefully acknowledges
Halcyon Commons on the Tenth Anniversary of its completion
and the neighbors who created and have sustained it through Halcyon Neighborhood Association,

with special recognition to Nancy Carleton, Susan Hunter, Michael Lamb, John Steere, and Bruce Wicinas

for their extraordinary service on behalf of parks, open space, and citizen involvement in the City of Berkeley.

Signed by Mayor Tom Bates, October 1, 2006

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2. Halcyon Commons Rejuvenation Project: Design Charrette,  This Sunday, October 8, 2:30-5:00 p.m.

Halcyon Commons Rejuvenation Project

Design Charrette Open to the Community

Sunday, October 8, 2:30-5:00 p.m.

Halcyon Commons Park (Halcyon at Prince)

In case of rain, the charrette will be held at 3044-A Halcyon across from the park (with brief umbrella forays to the park).

Refreshments donated by Whole Foods Market.

A chance to help plan features funded by the UC Chancellor's Community Partnership Grant to Halcyon Neighborhood Association (fiscal sponsor: Berkeley Partners for Parks), including Animal Cutout Entry Arbor at north end of park, Redesign/Replanting of south end of Park, and Halcyon Bird Sculpture (see following for a fuller description). All are welcome to participate!

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Halcyon Commons Rejuvenation Project brings three new elements to this neighborhood-designed park in South Berkeley: (A) a gateway at the north end with the words HALCYON COMMONS and animal cutouts related to park history;  (B) a bronze-cast sculpture of a halcyon bird (a kingfisher associated with peace); and (C) a redesign and replanting of the incomplete southeastern corner - all with community design input. Because of the significant contribution of professional and artistic skills and volunteer labor, the grant funds go directly toward implementation, helping to build community as well as adding beautiful new features to this unique neighborhood commons.

(A) A Gateway at the North Entrance to be forged by craftsperson Amy Blackstone (who created the wrought-iron decorative gates to the Peralta Community Garden in North Berkeley and the Art Tech building in downtown Berkeley, and who is giving us a significant donation of her labor to keep costs down). This will comprise a pergola/arbor-style entry with the words HALCYON COMMONS and animal cutouts to be designed with community workshop input. There is currently no sign letting people know they are entering Halcyon Commons at this most used entryway to the park, so this project will help anchor a sense of place, as well as honoring the animal, bird, and insect life that shares this greenspace, including animals with special ties to the park (such as Emma, the neighborhood dog who was present throughout the park's planning process, the bees that swarmed in the park and were relocated to a nearby neighbor's yard, and the barn owl neighbors are hoping to encourage to nest in a nearby palm tree).

(B) Halcyon Bird Sculpture (a halcyon bird is a kind of kingfisher) originally planned ten years ago for the oval in front of the "Father Sun" bench in the park's southwestern corner. The sculpture will be cast in bronze, and will be sculpted by local artist Christina Bertea, in collaboration with John Steere, both of whom are making a significant donation of their labor to keep costs down. It will be approximately three feet long and two feet high and sit on a pedestal in the middle of the existing planted oval. The bird will be shown on a nest, representing peaceful coexistence. The details will be worked out by the artists with additional input from a community design charrette.

(C) Redesign of the Southeastern Corner of the park through a new landscape plan and planting, with the inclusion of either large, flat boulders esthetically arranged that serve the dual function as sitting areas, or possibly a rustic bench (final decision pending community input), along with the completion of the irrigation system, and attractive, drought-resistant plantings. We are intending that this feature be designed at a hands-on community design charrette under the guidance of Michael Lamb, the neighbor and registered landscape architect who drew up the initial plans for the park based on community design workshops, resulting in an award-winning design (honored by Berkeley Design Advocates in 1997). This feature will allow neighbors, UC students (a couple of whom are already committed), and other community partners to participate in many ways, from the design process through the "sweat equity" involved in installing the landscaping features and planting the plants.

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 3. Tonight's Ashby BART Task Force Planning Meeting Cancelled

This note was received from Ashby BART Task Force Co-Chair John Selawsky:

"A member of the public has raised questions as to whether the meetings and deliberations of the Ashby BART Task Force should have been noticed in compliance with the State of California's Brown Act governing meetings of legislative bodies. The South Berkeley Neighborhood Development Corporation consultant, City staff, and the City Attorney are carefully researching the genesis of the Task Force to clarify what procedures, if any, it should be following. Until the issue is resolved, the prudent course is to postpone the public meeting set for October 3, 2006 at St. Paul's AME Church, 2024 Ashby Avenue, at 7:00 PM. We will inform the public about future meetings once this issue is resolved."

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The Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter:  The HNA E-Newsletter forwards occasional crime watch notices as well as announcements about events of interest to neighbors in the Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Adeline area of south Berkeley, including community-building potlucks, greening projects, disaster preparedness meetings, and work parties in Halcyon Commons Park. If you're receiving this email, either you signed up at a neighborhood event or a neighbor may have forwarded it to you. Please note that to prevent spam, HNA always uses bcc and does not share your email address with third parties. If you wish to be removed from this list, please reply to HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton/Halcyon Neighborhood Association <ngc2@mindspring.com>. Please feel free to pass the HNA E-Newsletter on to other neighbors you think might be interested.

HNA Listserve:  If you would like to receive messages (and participate in discussions) on the HNA Listserve, please reply to Halcyon Neighborhood Association <ngc2@mindspring.com> indicating your interest, and you will receive an invitation to join.

HNA Blog:  If you would like to view previous newsletters online (and comment via a blog format), please visit http://halcyoncourt.blogspot.com/

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