pages: PlanningBoard/2021-07-12.pdf, 9
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PlanningBoard | 2021-07-12 | 9 | doing to mitigate sound such as using decimal readers to constantly check the noise level and they had talked to neighbors to better understand what they could do going forward. Ms. Asbury, Executive Director of the West Alameda Business Association (WABA), discussed how the primary charge of WABA since 1985 was to bring commerce to the streets of Alameda and how this location had allowed them to do this and had benefited many different parties. President Teague opened public comments. Jenny Garibaldi gave her support to the Healing Garden and the summer concert series. She had known Sandy Russell, the owner of Fireside since she had opened the bar about 10 years ago. She had personally experienced Mr. Russell's hospitality and had seen her share that with her neighbors over the years. She believed that Ms. Russell and her team had revitalized the West End, galvanized the community over the last year, and had helped other Webster Street businesses stay afloat during the pandemic. She saw the Healing Garden as a creative solution to a seemingly hopeless situation that helped local businesses and artists. It was born in response to the murder of George Floyd and out of a need for the community to gather safely during an unsafe time. She discussed the many other benefits of the Healing Garden and how Sandy and her team had been working with neighbors. She hoped that the Healing Garden would be allowed to stay at least until the end of the year. Rebecca Hayman supported the Healing Garden continuing. She spoke on how it sprang out of nothing and she had personally gone to 4 events, she commented on how easily she and her friends were able to walk to the location. She saw this as an amazing local benefit and saw the good it did the community. She talked about how charming, unique and diverse it was. She hoped they would be allowed to continue to at least the end of the year. Tara Pilbrow, Vice President of the West End Art's District, discussed the collaboration the Art District had with the Healing Garden Summer Series. She said they started working with the Healing Garden at the beginning of the year when they realized they would not be able to do the bigger events they had planned due to Covid restrictions. She discussed how excited artists have been at the opportunity to do live shows again and how much attendees had appreciated it. She said they had been massively affected by the complaints by neighbors and had worked so hard to mitigate the situation. She discussed ways that they were working on that from limiting the number of events and communicating better with everyone. Brian J. Kenny, a musician who had played at the Healing Garden, discussed what a phenomenal place it was. He discussed how committed Sandy Russell had been to make it work for both the neighborhood and the performers. He believed it had been great for the community and great for the arts. He spoke on how diverse the crowds had been and how it had restored his faith in the community. Constance Garica, owner of the Menagerie in Alameda, had been hosting events at the Healing Garden. She discussed how so many artists had lost their sources of income due to the pandemic. The West End had helped to promote culture and how WABA and the Art's District had been very active in handling any issues that had come up with the neighbors. She reminded everyone that they would try to please everyone but to please Approved Planning Board Minutes Page 9 of 18 July 12, 2021 | PlanningBoard/2021-07-12.pdf |