Walking Waterhoods: Temescal Creek — Frog Park and Little Frog Park

Frog Park, so-named after acronym for the community organization Friends of the Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt, is located in North Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood close to bordering Temescal. The linear park extends over three blocks, about 1/2 a mile along the former Temescal Creek. It includes Hardy Park, Frog Park and Little Frog Park. The 3 block-long greenbelt is located along a portion of the Temescal Creek bed, and managed by the City of Oakland, while Alameda County Flood Control regulates the flow of the faux creek. The creek was designed by local resident Irwin Luckman in 1972. Culverting the actual creek but pumping the water to the surface through an engineered "creek bed" was the result of a compromise in the community which had been conflicted about keeping the creek above ground. While the faux creek has been "turned off" for years at a time, the goal is to run the creek from Spring to Fall, just the opposite as to when a seasonal creek would run. Water quality in Lake Temescal, above this area, directly impacts whether the faux creek can run. The greenbelt balances quiet areas featuring benches, redwood groves and butterfly gardens, with active play areas including children’s play structures and a climbing wall. Along most portions of the greenbelt the faux creek includes native plants and small boulders for creek crossing.