Title
Approve Mural Design and Location for the Alameda Skate Park
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Approve Mural Design and Location for the Alameda Skate Park
BACKGROUND
The Alameda Skate Park is located at 1177 West Redline Road at Alameda Point. It was built through a community fundraising and volunteer effort in 1999. The facility is managed and maintained by the Alameda Park Maintenance Department, funded by the General Fund
DISCUSSION
Patty Harding, an Alameda resident, approached ARPD with a collaboration request to make improvements to the Alameda Skate Park in memory of her son. Planned and completed projects include:
* Repair a significantly eroded concrete portion at the top of one of the skate bowls
o Completed by ARPD with in-house staff.
* Paint the railings
o Completed by Ms. Harding and youth volunteers with supplies provided by ARPD.
* Add a shade structure
o In the planning stages with the supplies and construction paid by donated funds.
* Add benches and a BBQ
o In the planning stages by a local Boy Scout for his Eagle project.
* Paint a mural in memory of Clay Harding
o In the planning stages with supplies provided by donated funds and volunteers providing the labor.
The mural design was thoughtfully created in order to best represent Clay and give the mural a vibe which would be appreciated by his peers at the skate park, which led to the graffiti-type design. The artist, Sam Norton, was a friend of Clay's and is one of the older boarders who is a mentor to many of the skateboarders. Clay adopted the name, Surya, as his boarder name. It is an Indian name which means, "an important god of later Hinduism; the sun god or the sun itself worshipped as the source of warmth and light." Both the name, Surya, and a sun are incorporated into the mural. There are two sloths in the mural. Clay was an artist ...
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