This document outlines a proposal and timeline to transform a 40,000 square foot neglected site into a community park called Parker Park in Berkeley, California. The three phase plan over three years includes establishing garden areas, event spaces, and pathways. Phase I in year one focuses on site preparation like mulching, composting, and planting ground cover. Phase II in year two expands the garden and hosts community events. Phase III plans are dependent on discussions with the landowner about long-term use of the site. The goal is to create a space that encourages community interaction through permaculture demonstration projects and activities.

1. PARKER PARK
A Project
for the
Urban P.D.C.
at the
Urban Permaculture Institute
Brought to you by
Design Team
Ann Weittrich, Margaret Jamison,
Santiago Portilla, Chelsea Powell,
& Michelle Huber
November 2010

2. OUR VISION
SITE ADDRESS: 2612 San Pablo, Berkeley, CA
(Open space between 10th and San Pablo,
Parker and Carleton)
Transform a neglected 40,000 sq. ft. site into a
park for creative re-use, interaction
and exchange.
We envision new patterns of use that encour-
age lively interchange, and incorporates an
open and additive system of natural and hu-
man connection to generate dialogue and ex-
change.
We will utilize the site and surrounding neighbor-
hood’s diverse non-profit, commercial, natural and
human resources. The park will be a catalyst for
expanding awareness and exploring
possibilities of permaculture design and
practice.
Begin a dialogue with potential commu-
nity partners and neighbors. The design plan
will evolve as needed to maximize community inter-
est, engagement, needs and resources over time.
Primary anchor spaces:
a kitchen garden;
a gathering space that can be used for
a bicycle drive-in theatre and other events & activi-
ties; and
a green classroom area for eco-demon-
stration projects

3. OUR ASSESSMENT

4. N

5. 58’
128’
29’
50’
170’
24’
135’
286’
134’
47’
75’
0’ 16’ 32’ 64’
29’ Black Oak Books
Missouri
Lounge
San Pablo Ave.
TenthSt.
Parker St.
Berkeley
Digital
Film
Institute

6. 58’
128’
29’
50’
170’
24’
135’
286’
134’
47’
75’
0’ 16’ 32’ 64’
29’
SECTOR MAP:
Current Site conditions
1. SUN: All but southern edge
(Black Oak book’s Wall)
2. WIND: SW
Some from San Pablo traffic
3. NOISE: San Pablo car traffic (east),
Missouri Lounge outdoor patio -
People, music (north, evenings mostly)
4. Temperature/Micro-climate:
NE corner is warmest due to
Warming of south-facing wall
5. WATER & SOIL
Exposed site. Compacted soil
(Includes asphalt remnants) receives
direct rain. Difficult to detect
specific flooding patterns
SHADE 1
2
2
3
3
4
Cars, air pollution
Black Oak Books
Missouri
Lounge
Berkeley
Digital
Film
Institute
N

7. 58’
128’
29’
50’
170’
24’
135’
286’
134’
47’
75’
0’ 16’ 32’ 64’
29’
N
Black Oak Books
Missouri
Lounge
Berkeley
Digital
Film
Institute
Natural Sector

8. Economic Sector
KEY LOCAL
BUSINESSES
1. Black Oak Books
2. The Missouri Lounge
3. Berkeley Digital Film
Institute
4.Ecohome Improvement
5. KC Bar B-Q
6. Ecology Center,
The Sierra Club, &
Berkeley Farmers’
Market
7. Sea Salt Cafe
8. Bacheeso (cafe)
9. The WoodWorks
10. Dwight Nursery
11. East Bay Nursery
12. Earth Team
1
2
3
2. Missouri Lounge
1. Black Oak Books
4. EcoHome Improvement
Eco-Friendly Gift Shop
6. The Sierra Club
4
5
6
7
9
8
5. KC Bar B-Q
9. The Woodworks
10
11
12
N

9. OUR
STRATEGIES

10. 58’
128’
29’
50’
170’
24’
135’
286’
134’
47’
75’
0’ 16’ 32’ 64’
29’
2
1
mulched path
sheet mulched area
ground cover
1. San Pablo pedestrian entry
2. Parker St. vehicular and
pedestrian entry
3. information kiosk
4. compost area
5. garden staging area
6. kitchen garden
7. outdoor classroom area
8. main gathering space
9. movie wall
10. event space
11. keep existing blackberries
12. cover crop
13. Flowering perennial vine
Parker Park
3
3
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
12
12
13
13
Black Oak Books
Missouri
Lounge
Berkeley
Digital
Film
Institute
N

11. OUR
TIMELINE

12. Steps of Implementation
1. Mulch paths and gathering area
2. Put an information kiosk by San Pablo pedestrian entry with drawing and descriptions of the
plans for the space as well as flyers advertising up coming events (i.e. bike-in movie, ecology
center events, compost collection events, etc.)
3. Establish a compost area in easy access to Missouri Lounge food prep area
4. Establish a garden staging area next to compost
5. Coordinate a community compost drop-off event for a Berkeley Method compost soil jump start
6. Bike-in movie event compost fund-raiser (pay admission with a compost deposit)
7. Sheet mulch 12 feet on either side of pathways and garden area
8. Sheet mulch boundary of site along San Pablo and the boundary between the parking lot and
vegetated area
9. Build planters and fill with mulch and compost from compost fund-raisers
10. Manually ‘till’ non-mulched areas
11. Plant ground cover in ‘tilled’ areas (should be done right before the rainy season, so decem-
ber-ish)
12. Plant ground cover in sheet mulched areas along path
13. Plant flowering vine (scarlet runner beans?) along Fence at San. Pablo Ave for future shade.
14. Coordinate events and a regular farmers market with the Ecology Center for the event space
(other event possibilities: Open Mic. Night at Missouri Lounge; Sacramento St. Bird House Mak-
er)
15. Assess progress and weak points of Phase I
16. Reassess the vision for Parker Park and its interaction with the community
17. Change the steps of Phase II so as to stay on track towards our vision of Parker Park
Phase I -Year One

13. Steps of Implementation
1. Add more planters to kitchen garden area
2. Coordinate with nearby yard-less apartment tenants on the creation and maintenance of kitch-
en garden planters
3. Plant plants that have a cocktail or sandwich appropriate yield for Missouri Lounge, Cafe Tri-
este, Sea Salt, and Bacheesos
4. Donate yield to Missouri Lounge and Cafe Trieste, Sea Salt, and Bacheesos and/or have a
corner street give away of the produce
5. Plant low maintenance biomass accumulators in sheet mulched areas along path (comfrey,
arrowroot, lemongrass, etc)
6. Plant attractive flowering low maintenance perennials along San Pablo fence and in the sheet
mulched areas bordering the event space (bougainvillea, blackberry,...)
7. Sow different variety of cover crop plants into cover crop areas
8. Continue having community events such as the farmer’s market, movie nights, workshops,
Ecology center events, and green building demonstrations
9. Assess the progress and weak points in the implementation of Phase II
10. Reassess the vision for Parker Park and its interaction with the community
11. Talk to Wareham Development about extending our stay on the land and what their plans for
development are.
12. Develop Phase III plan for further enhancements on site or the relocation of activities and
container gardens to new sites in the community.
Phase II -Year Two

14. Steps of Implementation
It Depends!
Phase III -Year Three

15. Thanks for your time!