Lincoln Square receives $2 million in federal funding
Photo credit: City of Oakland
Oakland, CA, February 7, 2023 —Oakland Chinatown is getting closer to having a 21st century recreation and community resiliency center. The Lincoln Square Recreation Center capital project has received a $2 million earmark in the most recent federal budget, which was passed in December 2022.
“We are thrilled with this latest funding commitment and excited for our future. We thank Senator Padilla and the City of Oakland for ensuring this project happens,” said Tiffany Eng, co-founder of Friends of Lincoln Square Park, and co-chair of the capital campaign for the new center. “Lincoln Square is not only the heartbeat of Oakland Chinatown, but it is the city’s most traversed park, and the only staffed park downtown.”
Senator Alex Padilla requested the funding on behalf of the City of Oakland. “I’m proud to have secured $2 million in federal funding to help expand the Resilience Hub in the heart of Oakland,” Senator Padilla said. “From wildfires to floods, climate change is exacerbating the crises our state faces. Expanding the Lincoln Recreation Center so it can provide clean air, cooling and heating, and access to electricity and the internet during emergencies will make the community in Chinatown safer.”
Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato-Bas added, “Since I entered office in 2019, the renovation and expansion of Lincoln Square Park has been a top priority for my office. I am thrilled that our advocacy, together with the incredible team of Friends of Lincoln Square Park volunteers and Chinatown community leaders, has resulted in an additional $2M from Senator Padilla's federal budget allocation, building on the millions in city and state funding that we have won so far. There is more work ahead to ensure we obtain the necessary resources to complete this project, and I am committed to supporting our community until we reach the finish line.”
Not only is upgrading the current facility a necessity, as the center is beyond capacity, but this project will also bring a much needed boost to Oakland Chinatown. After the tragic events of Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay left so many in the AAPI communities shaken, news like this is well received. If these events showed us anything, it’s that gathering places like Lincoln Square are a crucial lifeline to so many people. The new Lincoln Square will allow for people to come together in times of celebration and in times of need.
Shina Robinson, Resilience Hubs Manager for the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) noted, "Safety, belonging, and connection are essential parts of building resilient communities. APEN's members have been gathering at Lincoln Rec to check in on each other, share information, and also dance, play, and exercise together. Many of our members are incredibly excited about the renovation and the addition of climate resilient features that will help prepare and protect them from the next disruption."
The new Lincoln Square Recreation Center will be 22,000 square feet, nearly three times the size of the current center and will be equipped to prepare the community to better respond to the effects of climate change. It will feature showers, multi-purpose courts, a performance stage, green space, and classrooms, and will meet the growing demands for multi-use space in downtown Oakland.