LaborFest 2020 presents: People’s Park and the Overreach of UC Berkeley

People’s Park is at the center of fifteen other officially recognized city of Berkeley landmarks, which collectively are a de facto historic district. They represent the heritage of the 1960s and the context of the larger theme of a century of town/gown relationships.

Berkeley became a major target of the New Right conservative backlash with Ronald Reagan promising to “clean up the mess in Berkeley.”

The preservation of the community-built park is again threatened by UC Berkeley because of the pressures of over-enrollment that has engendered overreach through university expansion into Berkeley and an attendant drain on city resources. UCB proposes to cover People’s Park with concrete housing monoliths, possibly to be erected by a private firm that will profit from student occupants. This would destroy both a historical legacy and much needed open space when reasonable alternatives are available.

If Berkeley all but invented the sixties, surely the city and its university should be able to commemorate that decade by preserving People’s Park as the heart and soul of a vital historic district.

Forum organized by the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group

This free LIVE Zoom event is Monday, July 27 at 5pm and is accessible only online.

In order to view or participate, a Zoom registration is required. Register here for this event https://laborfest.net/event/peoples-park-and-the-overreach-of-uc-berkeley-zoom-event/
After registration, participants will receive a Zoom invitation.

For more information visit https://laborfest.net/. Events are subject to change or cancellation due to COVID-19 related issues. Check our website at https://laborfest.net/ prior to each event.

LaborFest is the premier labor cultural arts and film festival in the United States. LaborFest recognizes the role of working people in the building of America and making it work even in this time of COVID-19. The festival is self-funded with contributions from unions and individuals that support and celebrate the contributions of working people.