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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it still a creek if it’s not in its historic channel? Yes! In a completely natural state a creek will meander and its channel will shift over time. According to the 1999 City of Berkeley “Strawberry Creek Downtown,” at the time of European settlement Strawberry Creek meandered along (what is today) Allston Street from Oxford to Milvia, crossing over to (what is now) Center Street from Milvia to Martin Luther King Jr. Way. In addition, from decade to decade creek channels shifted horizontally from side to side as well. Q: Will the creek attract rodents? Not likely. Studies show that rodents are mainly attracted to food, not flowing water. However, creeks with dense ivy banks can attract rodents who use the plants for cover. By selecting the right palette of vegetation and keeping the area free of food, rodents should not pose a problem. Q: Will people be camping out by the creek? Homeless people and vagrants are usually looking for places to stay dry and warm. The creek environment is wet and cool and is not likely to be seen as a good place to camp. Q: What about getting the creek over BART in the future? There isn’t much room between the street and the BART station underneath Center Street…but there is enough. Running several pipes over the top of the station, spread out horizontally (instead of one deeper box) would enable the full flow of water to be transported over the Shattuck Avenue Station. Q: How can there be any ecological benefits if the creek is in the middle of a plaza? Full restoration of the creek’s natural function is not possible in such an intense urban environment. However, some ecological benefits can go a long way, such as natural vegetation, filtration, and limited wildlife habitat. Compared to an underground cement culvert, it’s literally the difference between night and day. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the creek in the civic focal point is an educational one and as such an example of the city’s strong commitment to the environment, now and into the future. Q: How can we compare Berkeley to any other cities with downtown creek projects? Every city is unique. However, there are also many similarities that downtowns share as centers of civic activity. For example, San Luis Obispo is not exactly like Berkeley, but it shares enough similarities to make it a good model for comparison. Both cities have creeks downtown, similar climates and both are University towns. Of course, there are differences, a major one being that SLO’s creek was not underground in the beginning. However, as is proposed in Berkeley, they did close a street to traffic, created a pedestrian plaza with creek, and used the project to dramatically boost their downtown’s economy. Another major difference is size. San Luis Obispo is smaller than Berkeley, and has a “small town” feel to it, unlike Berkeley, which has a more energetic, metropolitan, environment. Q: What about liability issues? We posed this question to Ken Schwartz, Vice Mayor of San Luis Obispo, with an open creek running through their downtown. He said that after considering all the other litigation that city has to deal with, they decided that the creek would be very small in comparison. To date they have never had a serious injury of lawsuit filed over the downtown creek. Q: Who will be picking up debris that falls in the creek or gets washed down after it rains? Runoff from countless paved surfaces on the ground and on rooftops is channeled into our creeks. Therefore, every time it rains, debris on top of the pavement is washed into creek channels. As requested by the Berkeley City Council a creek maintenance plan will be developed with the cooperation and assistance of the downtown merchants. Q: Can the creek environment make money for nearby businesses? Yes, if the business is able to take advantage of it. Turning to San Luis Obispo with a creek in the downtown, businesses have seen a tremendous boost ever since they started using the creek to their benefit. Restaurants now have outside tables on patios near the creek that patrons love. Other businesses make sure that windows are oriented to give customers the view to the greenery. Attractive pathways invite visitors to linger and shop. Q: Can a “green” downtown core project revitalize the downtown and attract visitors to the city? Yes. With all the sustainable development pieces coming together in one location, a green downtown core project could provide a picture postcard “snapshot” of building with nature for the 21st Century. In an era of gasoline prices increasing as oil dwindles, city centers with a pedestrian emphasis will gain much impetus from historic trends. Such as “green” downtown core could be an educational tool for the rest of the country, and the world. Its beauty alone would make it a meeting place and destination. Instead of free parking and mega stores, Berkeley would be a magnet for people arriving on public transportation from all over the world to enjoy a world class downtown environment. |
