High Street Neighborhood News

by Adelle Foley

Toward a Safe, Healthy, Walkable City Oakland's second annual Walk a Child to School day, on October 6, reminds us to teach children safe pedestrian behavior. Help our children to select a safe route to school and cross streets safely, even if they usually arrive by car. Seven schools in our area are participating. To find out how you can help, call Fran Gage in Councilmember Miley's office at 238-7049. Gardening at Courtland Creek Neighbors and supporters of Courtland Creek spent the last Saturday of summer improving and enjoying the creekside park. With an emphasis on gardening, the group planted three Thundercloud plum trees, trimmed suckers, cleared up weeds, added to the native plants, and shared a welcome snack. The volunteers appreciated the change from earlier years when all of the effort went to clearing debris, furniture, and other garbage. Nominations Are Open Nominees for officers of the Melrose/High Hopes NCPC were chosen at the September 16 meeting. All those who live, work, or own a business in beat 27X are eligible to vote at the November 18 meeting at Horace Mann School. Melrose Library Progress and Optimism It looks as if the Melrose Branch will be open at the temporary site in October. Get ready to check out some books at 5420 Bancroft (near Fairfax). It's also time to think about how to use the space at the 4805 Foothill site when it reopens next spring/summer. Anyone interested in participating in that discussion should call librarian Roberta Frey at 535-5623. Call the same number for updates on the schedule and plans for a reopening celebration. Good Neighbors in Motion The Ygnacio/Belvedere Home Alert has adopted nearby street corners on Fairfax from Foothill to Bancroft for monthly cleanup efforts. The group's first effort netted 12 bags of weeds and trash. Oakland's We Mean Clean Office provided bags and shovels. The St. Lawrence O'Toole community celebrated the 50th anniversary of their school by replanting the median in front of their site and weeding a larger section. Keep an eye out for the perennials they planted.