Features

Playing Field Construction Begins at East Campus

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday October 13, 2006

After years of grappling, construction on the long-awaited multi-use playing field at Derby Street and Martin Luther King finally started on Oct. 1. 

The Berkeley school district will be spending $800,000 from construction bonds on the playing-field that will be used by students from Berkeley High, Longfellow and B-Tech (formerly Berkeley Alternative High School) next spring. 

The BUSD-owned East Campus/ Derby Street field has been the subject of debate over whether to close Derby to allow enough space to build a regulation high school baseball field or to renovate the East Campus lot for general playing fields. Some community members have urged the city not to close Derby Streeet and allow the baseball field on the site, saying they do not want the neighborhood disruption which would be caused by closing the street, relocating the Tuesday farmers’ market and allowing high school baseball games on the field. 

“We don’t have the funds to build anything else on the land at the moment, so we will be sticking with the interim plan of having a temporary athletic field,” said BUSD spokesperson Mark Coplan. “Leveling and drainage work will require a lot of time because we don’t want the field to turn muddy every time it rains. Hopefully construction will be completed in the next few months.” 

School board director John Selawsky said at Wednesday’s ceremony marking the start of construction he was glad the process has begun no matter the final decision on the baseball field. 

“The new playing field will not only be an athletic field but also a community one,” he said. “Future plans include an EIR and more community meetings about what neighbors want. Nothing has been set in stone yet and we urge you to keep giving your input. No matter what your thoughts are about construction in the field, please don’t forget to vote for Measure A. Measure A funds go directly to our classroom-- it has nothing to do with the fields.” 

In June, members of the East Campus Neighborhood Association (ECNA) drafted a plan that allows a regulation-sized baseball field to coexist with an open Derby Street. The plan, named “Curvy Derby,” because it would bend a portion of the street to accommodate the field, has not yet been viewed by the district. 

Councilmember Max Anderson said at the celebration that he was happy that this “hallowed” ground was going to be home to things that would edify and build the community. “I hope the Curvy Derby solution will be one that will keep the street open, maintain the farmers’ market and also host a full-sized baseball field,” he sad. 

Susi Marzuola, the designer behind the Curvy Derby plan, said that it was important to have more B-Tech parents involved in the plans. “There are so many other needs of the children that this field could fulfill. Baseball is one, but there are others,” she said. 

Linda Lagan, Farmers’ Market program manager, said that they were excited about the Curvy Derby plan and hoped that the market would continue to serve the community from its current location on Derby Street.