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For a calendar of Dimond community meetings Click here

January 2000 DIA Newsletter

Neighborhood Social
You and your neighbors are warmly invited to a Dimond get-together hosted by the DIA Board. Drop by and see old friends or meet new neighbors while you nibble on home-made goodies! There will be user-friendly demonstrations of the DIA web site, and a local photographer will display her pictures of Dimond. Kids are welcome!

Looking Back at 1999
This past year we painted, planted, negotiated, nagged and brainstormed. In all these ways, DIA members helped to improve Dimond in 1999.

Here are some highlights.
A Sign of Hope
Co-chair Ann Nomura led negotiations that have resulted in improvements at the Hillcrest Motel, including private security patrols and the demolition of the big yellow sign.

Peace in the Park
We supported new city regulations that will help to prevent disturbances in Dimond Park.

Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom
We placed and planted a number of handsome new planters throughout the Dimond neighborhood, and we are keeping graffiti off our walls, fences, lampposts, you name it.

Work from the Grass Roots Up
We joined with other Oakland neighborhoods to persuade the City that its "Community Oriented Government" plan was a bad idea.

Dimondnews.org
Co-chair Tim Chapman built the Dimond web site into a model for Oakland's neighborhoods and persuaded the City to put a link on the City site that connects to neighborhood sites. (That's a real example of government orienting itself toward the community!)

Better Safe Than Sorry
CORE (Citizens of Oakland Responding to Emergencies) will be coming to Dimond, thanks to DIA Co-Chair Tim Chapman. The first CORE class will meet on Monday, January 10th, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Dimond Library.

Oh Say, Can You See?
Distinctive Dimond banners, designed by Dimond artist Bud Peen, are now up and lending a festive look to the shopping district. The patterns represent the fruit trees that once covered this part of Oakland; Sausal Creek; a hiking trail; and Dimond residences.

Blasting Blight
We have worked with City agencies to abate blight at over a dozen addresses, using the City's new blight ordinance.

A Village Zone
The Dimond commercial area is about to be rezoned to C-31, the designation for pedestrian-oriented retail zones. This will give us a useful tool in helping to foster a village-like feel to our "down-town."

Welcome to Dimond
The gateway project at Lincoln and MacArthur has made it through the planning phase, and our handsome granite sculptures will soon be surrounded by special landscaping and lighting.

Still No Trucks on 580
We hosted a meeting with CalTrans officials, Councilmember Spees and State Assemblymember Audie Bock to explain our opposition to trucks on 580. In unity with other neighborhoods up and down the 580 corridor, we succeeded in getting the point across.

Speak Up!
We donated a lectern with a built-in microphone to the Dimond Library.

Thank You!
The Dimond neighborhood owes a special "thank-you" to Councilmember Dick Spees and his assistant, Niccolo DeLuca, for all their help in '99. We look forward to working with them in 2000!

Did you know?
Did you know? Over 18,000 vehicles pass through the Fruitvale/MacArthur intersection each day; 177,000 pass over Fruitvale on 580. -Information from City of Oakland

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