A report on Saturday’s rally by a Friends of Moraga Canyon member.

A festive rally to save Blair Park from massive development drew nearly 150 residents from Piedmont and Oakland to the park on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Feb. 12. Families with children and dogs in tow arrived, carrying banners and handmade signs, saying “Save Blair Park.”

Rally cheers and brief speeches by leaders of Friends of Moraga Canyon (FOMC) kicked off the event, followed by guided tours of the proposed sports complex development. Newly installed “story poles” that dramatically illustrate the size of the proposed project were the center of attention.

Image of the 38-foot story pole. Click to enlarge

Gasps and exclamations were heard as Piedmont resident Joannie Semitekol walked groups through the park and explained the colors on the poles, some of which reach above the trees on Moraga Ave. “The green color on the poles indicates the height of fill needed to reach the elevated field surface,” Semitekol said. “And the top white portion of the poles indicates the height of the fence above the field. So, for example, the 38-foot tall pole on the lowest end of the park on Moraga Ave. shows 18 feet of fill (green) plus 20 feet of fencing (white).“

Semitekol also pointed out the poles on the park’s back hillside, which mark the highest point of the fence that would have to be erected on top of the retaining wall. Thin white tape connects the poles to show the length and height of the wall. “Unfortunately,” she said, “the terrain and the trees and shrubs make these indicator poles very difficult to see unless you get up close. Likewise, the story poles along Moraga are difficult to see through the trees.”

Following the project tour, adults and kids waving their homemade signs lined up along Moraga Ave., and were cheered on by passing motorists. Fresh homemade cookies, brownies and fruit jams were on sale to help raise donations for FOMC, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which is working to build public awareness of the project’s impact on the environment, homeowners, and potentially on City of Piedmont taxpayers.