In August 2019, Jingletown Arts, Business and Community joined together with neighbors, seniors from the Phoenix Commons Building, and families to paint a large ocean mural around 2 storm drains near the Park St. Bridge on the Estuary. Jill McLennan designed the Ocean plan in collaboration with members of the community and Cynthia Elliott organized the painting day event. We painted all day and completed this 20’ long mural for all to enjoy.
Jingletown Arts, Businesses & Community, (JABC) is cleaning, maintaining and adorning, multiple storm drains around the neighborhood, with murals. We are educating neighbors about the importance of keeping storm drains clean as we paint murals around the drains. This storm drain awareness project is the first in the City of Oakland. Identifying and cleaning storm drains helps prevent flooding of our neighborhood streets and keeps debris from washing into the Oakland Estuary. The project brings neighbors together, working to build relationships, improve and beautify our surroundings while promoting a safer community.
McLennan led a group of 50 8th graders from Lazear school in designing and painting the first Storm Drain Mural at th end of Derby St. b y the Estuary. The students designed their fish images based on fresh and salt water fish that live in the waters of Northern California, as the estuary is a mixture of fresh and salt waters. They learned about the waterways and drainage systems within Oakland through a partnership with Friends of Causal Creek, FOSC.
