Many blame the park's founders and supporters and their counterculture values for the state of the park today. But they haven't controlled it since 1969. The responsibility lies elsewhere.
Berkeley leaders past and present reflect on the impact of a legendary politician.
On the 49th anniversary of the largest protest marches Berkeley has likely ever seen, Tom Dalzell recalls a day when Berkeley demonstrated "moral outrage" in abundance.
UC Berkeley wants to build housing at People's Park for the same reason it tore down housing there almost 50 years ago: to get rid of "undesirables."
A week after announcing plans to build 1K student units in People's Park, Carol Christ said she will push to build on 9 other sites too, and released renderings of the park plans.
Some people who spend time in the storied Berkeley park acknowledge the need for housing but worry about the park's future; others say the plan should not go ahead, period.
Construction could begin in the summer of 2020 and be completed by 2022. The university said the park is an ideal place because development will address housing and homelessness.
Cal has treated the park with benign neglect, creating the conditions that it hopes will lead to public support of development. It should invest in improving the park instead.
The university may build 700 units for students, as well as 100 units for people experiencing homelessness. There would still be a park, although it would be smaller.
A man linked to sex crimes involving two women near the UC Berkeley campus last week has been charged with two felonies and two misdemeanors in Alameda County Superior Court.
Police arrested a 45-year-old man in People's Park early Monday morning after he was linked to separate incidents involving two women on Durant Avenue near UC Berkeley.
A UC Berkeley employee working at People's Park was robbed, kicked and punched Friday morning, authorities report. The person responsible has been arrested, police said.
Everybody knows about the People's Park created in 1969, when thousands of students, activists, and neighbors worked to establish the place. Few know about an earlier park.
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