Tennis courts near Lake Merritt that had been taken over by a homeless encampment will reopened for tennis players Saturday now that the people experiencing homelessness have been successfully moved into supportive housing and the courts renovated, city officials said.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, followed by a youth and adult tennis tournament and play time at the Athol Plaza tennis courts at 1750 Lakeshore Ave., according to the office of Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas.
Bas appeared at the event along with Dr. August Varlack of Friends of Athol Tennis Courts and Laney Tennis and Marc Weinstein, Director of Tennis, Oakland Parks, Recreation and Youth Development.
Since 2020, Bas' office worked with advocates, community partners, and the City of Oakland's Human Services Department to transition the people experiencing homelessness previously living at Athol Tennis Courts into shelter options. These included Lake Merritt Lodge, which serves seniors and individuals with medical conditions and disabilities.
奥克兰网球场，前无家可归者营地，重新向球员开放
市政府官员说，由于无家可归者已成功搬入支持性住房，球场也得到了翻新，因此梅里特湖附近曾被无家可归者营地接管的网球场将于周六重新为网球运动员开放。
据奥克兰市议会主席 Nikki Fortunato Bas 的办公室称，剪彩仪式于周六上午 10 点至 11 点举行，随后是青少年和成人网球锦标赛，并在位于湖滨大道 1750 号的 Athol 广场网球场进行比赛。
Bas 与 Athol Tennis Courts and Laney Tennis 之友的 August Varlack 博士以及奥克兰公园、休闲和青年发展部的网球总监 Marc Weinstein 一起出席了此次活动。
自 2020 年以来，Bas 的办公室与倡导者、社区合作伙伴和奥克兰市公共服务部合作，将以前住在 Athol 网球场的无家可归者转变为庇护所。其中包括梅里特湖旅馆，它为老年人和有医疗条件和残疾的个人提供服务。
