THANK YOU PAT! Actions speak louder than words , and your work to secure a quality store for the neighborhood has paid off. Apart from that, we applaud your on going efforts for Eastlake and Chinatown residents. Don works at Shoong and ARC teaching ESL and we have seen how hard you haveworked to keep a Chinese speaking police officer there. A good counsil memeber DOES make a difference in the quality of life for her constituents! Thanks again

Ken writes: Still, the most common response was: “Yes, we’d love to have a Trader Joe’s, but why not an empty storefront instead” Maybe that was a typo? Probably it should read that folks wanted a Trader Joes "IN" an empty storefront..." as I recall the buzz was that there were so many empty spaces at the time and either the no moves were made to entice them there or perhaps the offers were turned down. Two comments: the Guardian's overuse of the royal "we" is addressed in comments are for Jim's editorial about whether the Guardian is a "shill" for Kernighan. Second comment is this: I remember 'way back in the ol' days when Caroline Kim and the other gals who were fighting against ANY retail development on park space, Pat K. and Russo consistantly pushed for a Trader Joe's ON Splash Pad parkland, a stance echoed in the positions taken by the nearby business associations (lead by Pam Drake/Grand and Nona Smith/Lakeshore). The Farmers came in and went in under the freway against the howls of the business districts. Neither John Russo or Pat Kernighan attended the opening ceremonies, even though the District 2 council office was invited. Later, people on the lake side of the freeway asked that the farmers market be put in the area between the library and the lake. It was flat already, had streets for parked trucks, etc. By that time the business district had come around. John Russo needed to fix his battered image before his next election....and hence the Splash Neighborhood Forum was born and the rest is history. Just thought I'd state that for the record although I fully expect to be pasted by folks who may not want anyone reminding them of the sequence of events they'd sooner forget.

Here's what happened. I was, indeed, president of the Grand Avenue Business Assoc. at the time when the idea of Trader Joe's was posed for the area near the little triangle where the new improved Splashpad Park now is. No plan was ever allowed to be developed even for a look-see. Some of us imagined it as taking up part of the street next to the park with money for park enhancement and the store. John was in favor. I was in favor, many, many residents signed a petition in favor. Many also opposed it. Pat opposed it. I remember the conversation I had with her about it, and I was surprised that she opposed John's position on it. The merchants on Grand were concerned but not opposed to the market. The merchants on Lakeshore were concerned with some opposed and some in favor. Ken stepped in to a very contentious situation and began to craft a compromise and a plan on how to go forward (Nona and I worked with the merchants for some agreements). John had nothing to do with Ken's activities in this.

Simon,

Thanks for catching the typo. Otherwise, you contributed virtually nothing to this discussion other than a clumsy attempt to rewrite history. Pat Kernighan was hired by John Russo only after she wrote him a letter explaining why she thought commercial development in a park was inappropriate.

Yes, there was an effort to move the Farmers' Market closer to the lake on the other side of the library. What you didn't say was that the people lobbying for the move were trying to salvage their plans for an off-leash dog park in the Splash Pad. The Farmers' Market Management and Councilmember Nancy Nadel both said, "Absolutely not!"

Finally, I am insulted by your suggestion that the Splash Pad Forum was an entity John Russo created for his own ends. My wife and I simply showed up at the Market on our own and started passing out questionnaires. Five months later we were in Russo's office talking about the kinds of improvements the community wanted.

Simon, I have to ask: "Are you a District 2 resident? Do you at the very least live somewhere nearby?" If so, why weren't you involved in this process? We received comment/suggestion forms (some two or three pages long) and I don't remember your name being among them. But then, this brings us back to square one with me bitching about a candidate and a cadre of Kernighan critics with no real history of involvement in grass-roots community activities.

If I have you pegged wrong, please do correct me.

Yo! Nancy Rieser here checkin’ in as part of the dog owners posse. Just a correction: dog owners didn’t need to resurrect plans for a dog park at Splash Pad as we were given a site in a healther place, upwind from the freeway. Around the time Splash Pad Park rennovation was completed, information from the scientific field concerning the ultrafines that drift down wind led many to wonder if moving the Farmer’s Market closer to the lake wouldn’t be healthier. Also the Gondola Servicio – around the same time – suggested that if the market was actually next to the lake they could float up to the Pergola area and take people on afternoon rides featuring farmers market lunch boxes/baskets for the riders. We made the suggestion gently, and were batted away, and accused of trying to undermine the Splash Pad success and characterized as being full of sour grapes about the dog park thing. I can see that those feelings are still festering today, yes? It’s important to note that we made the suggestion AFTER the Splash Pad renovation was completed…and again, after we were graciously offered a better spot by Councilmember Danny Wan, to whom we will ALWAYS be in debt. For those who are interested in the topic, I have included two websites that give good user friendly explanations. Unfortunately for the kids at Lakeview, we can’t move their school on the other side of the freeway. But we could move the market…to an even prettier place. And that doesn’t mean that all is for not at Splash Pad. People can still use it if they choose for whatever function they desire. From “Science Blog – think it’s not illegal yet” an excerpt from an article “Freeway living not for the weak of lung” Date: October 17, 2002 People who live, work or travel within 165 feet downwind of a major freeway or busy intersection are exposed to potentially hazardous particle concentrations up to 30 times greater than normal background concentrations found at a greater distance, according to two recently published UCLA studies. The studies published in the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association and in Atmospheric Environment show that proximity to a major freeway or highway dramatically increases exposure to "ultrafine" particles (tiny particles less than 0.1 micrometers in diameter), which are linked to neurological changes, mild pulmonary inflammation and cardiovascular problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently regulates particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, and ultrafines represent the very smallest particles inhaled by the public…(the article continues: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/freeway_living_not_for_the_weak_of_lung )

Sorry, the second reference to the ultralfine freway pollution didn't make it in to the previous posting. It from a 2003 radio broadcast of the NPR radio series "Living on Earth." Cut and paste this into your browser and go to the second story down called "A Road That's Traveled",,,you can either read the whole transcript or listen to an MP3 file of the actual show: http://www.loe.org/shows/shows.htm?programID=03-P13-00024. It just not good news for anything downwind from a freway, be it kids or food that we eat.

Ken – you had over-controlling style that never earned my respect back then. All I can say is.-- that it’s deja all over again. Correction for Pam Drake. Although it may or may not be true that she wrote a letter to John Russo before she was hired opposing Russo’s TJs-in-the-park plan. Take a field trip down to the City Clerk's office sometime and review the City Council tape when Pat stood in front of the microphone (following little kids from the school across the street who begged the City not to build anything on the little park) and said she would never let her kids play there because it was so close to a noisy, smell freeway and that she supported the proposal. She changed her mind. It's her perogative to do so, of course.

Simon, Once again, you're attempting to rewrite history. Since I didn't get involved in the Splash Pad until late 1999, I wanted to make absolutely sure the incident you describe, didn't occur prior to that period. I emailed Pamela Drake who doesn't recall any such incident. Then I called Pat who notes that before she was hired by Russo, she did speak at a Council committee meeting, but it was in opposition to commercial development in the park. Pat's position on this issue has been consistent from day one.

Memories are selective, my friend and so is the re-telling of history of those who presume to the carry the story-telling torch for others. If you are really curious about the truth, pay a visit to the KTOP/city clerks ofc and take a "gander" at the actual tape of the hearing. Only will cost you a couple of bucks.

Pam Drake wrote (referring to the original concept for a TJ's on a portion of the park site): "No plan was ever allowed to be developed even for a look-see." There sure was a such plan. John Russo came to a Sierra Club meeting at the time with one, and as I recall it was very specific (and included a professionally-done street plan). As the Club doesn't tend to like conversion of park land to private uses, it was a short discussion.

On this count, Steve is correct. There was, in fact, an artist's rendering of the proposed building and some information provided as to its footprint. Simon, on the other hand, started with an allegation that "Pat K. and Russo consistantly (sic) pushed for a Trader Joe's ON Splash Pad parkland". That charge has now been reduced to a vague allegation that a tape exists at City Hall--but he apparently can't provide me with a date that would allow me to verify or disprove his comment. Simon does, however, correctly note that Pat had the prerogative to change her mind. With regard to the proper use of Splash Pad Park, she never had to do so. One person who did change his mind is Alex Nguyen, who as Russo's Chief of Staff, was the point person for the development proposal. Alex is now a regular Farmers' Market shopper and a huge fan of the new park. Caroline Kim, who led the efforts to block the development proposal and initiated the Farmers' Market under the freeway, originally had qualms about extensive improvements--but she too is a regular customer and properly takes pride in the role she played as a very, effective community advocate. John Russo also changed his mind and came up with the first appropriations for park improvements. Although, he continues to get a lot of heat over his original proposal, he should at least get credit for recognizing that the existing, horribly neglected park was an underutilized eyesore that served as a barrier between the commercial district and the parking under the freeway. After identifying the problem, his mistake was in coming up with his own solution without adequate community input. Like Caroline, I take a lot of pride in what this community accomplished, but interestingly enough, I'm just as proud of the process the Splash Pad Forum initiated as I am of the final result. We did tons of outreach week after week for well over a year and the recommendations we eventually sent to the City were reflected in the final plans drawn up by Landscape Architect, Walter Hood. I like to think that her experience in working with us rubbed off at least a bit and helped shape Pat Kernighan's approach to similar issues. Community involvement in planning for the Lake Merritt improvements was extremely extensive and the key 12th Street phase of the project was, in fact, the product of a volunteer effort. Pat pursued exactly the same approach in working for a favorable solution to the vacant Albertsons--conducting surveys and other outreach and then lobbying aggressively to get us Trader Joe's.

Ken -- I am not going to do your homework for you. Review your own notes. It was the first large City Council meeting regarding the topic. I'll give you a hint -- Russo was City Council member for District 2 and Pat -- as his aide -- and supporters for the Trader Joe's on-top-of-the-parkland came out full force -- big showing from the Lakeshore Homes Association, as I recall. Lakeshore Homes reps and Pat followed little kids from Lakeview asking the City to leave the park alone. I remember the woman who I was sitting next to leaned over and in a big stage whisper, said "Let them eat cake..." At that meeting, Russo was asking the City to give up the Measure I interest money, originally earmarked for Children's Fairyland and requested that it be allocated for use on Splash Pad. Okay -- those are all the hints I'm giving. (I've led the horse to the water, but can I make him drink?) Having said all that, we are all grateful that Pat worked successfully on that project after Albertson's took a hike and left its space open. Thanks to all who responded to the e-mail survey and called Trader Joe's corporate office on their own. The calls were well received -- it was clear the company really wanted to come! Job well done!