Oakland, CA – This afternoon, Mayor Sheng Thao, Councilmember Treva Reid and other Oakland City leaders participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the reopening of Holly Mini Park East Oakland. A recently completed renovation transformed the aging and underutilized park by installing new play structures, seating, landscaping, lighting, and colorful murals.
Holly Mini Park was constructed more than 60 years ago and over time had fallen into a state of disrepair. When the project kicked off in 2019, the park no longer met safety and accessibility standards. In addition to the new play structures and amenities, the renovation adds new safety surfacing and improvements to ensure the park meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
“This revitalized park and playground provide a welcoming space that Oakland families can once again enjoy” said Mayor Sheng Thao. “Holly Mini Park will not only enhance the health of this community by providing opportunities for physical activity, but also by creating a space where neighbors can connect and form stronger bonds. Social cohesion is a key element of my administration’s comprehensive violence prevention strategy, and one reason why investing in parks like this is so important. I am deeply grateful for the generous support of the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation, the Kaiser Permanente Foundation, and the Sunlight Giving Foundation. And of course, none of this would be possible without Oakland voters who are investing in our community through Measure KK.”
“I am thrilled to celebrate the reopening of Holly Mini Park, which has been a part of our community for over 60 years and is one of 12 cherished community parks in District 7. Access to safe, beautiful, and well-maintained parks like this is essential for fostering community health, well-being, and social connection. This park will serve as a vital hub for our young residents and their families to enjoy and connect with neighbors,” said District 7 Councilmember Treva Reid. “While this project was already underway when I took office, I have worked to progress on completing this park with the community and securing the funding needed for other parks in my district. Holly Mini Park is a beautiful community gathering place, and we look forward to the joy it and the other parks will bring for years to come.”
The ribbon cutting was hosted by Oakland Public Works (OPW) which led the renovation project and the Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development Department (OPRYD) which manages the City-owned Park.
“Oakland Public Works is proud to have led a robust community engagement process to ensure that community-articulated needs guided the design of this project,” said Oakland Public Works Interim Director Michael Kashiwagi. “I am grateful to the project team at Oakland Public Works and our partner agencies for working side by side with the community to create a safer and more accessible park that all can enjoy.”
OPW and OPRYD collaborated with the Department of Violence Prevention, Youth Ventures JPA, the Oakland Thrives Leadership Council, the Mayor’s Safety Impact Table (SIT), the Oakland Public Art Coordinator, Neighborhood Services Division and Oakland Police Department to engage with the community and develop the vision for the project.
“This is an example of how local government should and can work,” said OPRYD Director Fred Kelley. “I would like to thank the community for their patience, OPW for their collaborative efforts, and Mayor Thao and Councilmember Reid for their support.”
Community stakeholders including Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) 32X, Trees for Oakland, Monarch School, Elmhurst Middle School, and Attitudinal Healing Connection (AHC) were active participants in the community engagement process, providing valuable input and insights. The Park’s murals were designed by AGANA with students from Elmhurst Middle School as a project of the Center for Art Esteem.
Final design for the project was developed by Dillingham Associates. Beliveau Engineering Contractors, Inc. was engaged as general contractor.
In addition to private donations, project funding was received through California Proposition 68 (also known as the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018) and the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax. The project’s final construction cost was $896,451.
For more information, please visit the City’s project website: https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/holly-mini-park