Empowerment Park 462 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610

"Love this place.I just started coming back around here and wow! Me and son and grand daughter really had a great day and the people that we ran in to were cool.and I'm glad they got rid of some of geese."

"I used to Love the lake. Now, it is crowded and loud. People do not respect personal space, much less social distancing. I Love to shop, eat, enjoy the music there but no longer can do so."

"Great spot on the north side of Lake Merritt. It's close to the Pergola, but it doesn't get as crowded as Lakeshore Ave. A great place to walk, have a picnic, and enjoy the lake. There are lots of food trucks and vendors as well, especially by the Pergola."

"It’s fine during the day. Cool trees and birds. Had no idea it had the name “Empowerment Park”...sounds cheesy but it’s not important because nobody seems to call it that. Surprisingly, the city seems to be doing a decent job of upkeep. I do think the portable toilets in front of the nature center are a gross eyesore and wish they’d be moved somewhere else — often it looks like they are leaking some fluids out onto the sidewalk in that spot. I’m sure the parks department is trying to help cut down on the human excrement, though, which I appreciate. They could use some more public or portable toilets near the other end of the Grand Ave-abutting side of the park instead, sort of in front of Fairyland, as that area seems to be a popular al fresco “bathroom.” Can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked by that part of the park along Grand at dusk and seen activities I wished I could unsee. The worst is when they know you can see them and they try to call out or make eye contact with you while they’re fill-in-the-blank-ing."