Welcome to our website!
The Laurel Village Association is an all volunteer neighborhood association working to improve and develop the Laurel District in Oakland, California. If you live, work, play or shop in the neighborhood, we invite you to participate. Become a subscriber to the Laurel Village online forum to connect with neighbors on issues affecting the neighborhood. To subscribe, email the newsgroup at laurelvillage-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
The Laurel Village Association holds bi-monthly general meetings in the community room at World Ground Cafe, 3726 Macarthur Boulevard, the last Thursday of every month, 7PM to 8:30PM. On occasion, meetings are held at other neighborhood locations, so contact us ahead of time. Meetings are open to the public.
Contact the Laurel Village Association at: Laurel Village Association.
Summer Solstice Music Festival- Saturday, June 20
Save the date- Saturday, June 20, Noon to 6PM. The Laurel Village Association will host the 4th Annual Summer Solstice Music Festival, a festival featuring amateur and professional musicians performing live and free to the public. For more information see the festival website: www.laurelsummersolsticemusicfestival.org.
Environmental Enhancement Projects
The Laurel Village Association has adopted the 35th Avenue medians between I-580 and Harbor View in the city's Adopt-A-Median program. Volunteers plant and maintain the medians as an attractive corridor in the Laurel District. We are also active in maintaining the pocket park on Delaware Street and 35th Avenue.
Graffiti is an increasing nuisance in the neighborhood. Laurel resident and Laurel Village Association board member Jo-Ann Maggiora Donivan has adopted graffiti abatement as a mission. She has recruited a crew of volunteers who go out and regularly scrub off or paint over tagging and has informed merchants and property owners on how to combat it. If you would like to join her or learn more about her efforts, contact Jo-Ann at: Laurel Village Association
Laurel Parents Group
Because there are so many parents in Laurel Village we have created a new Yahoo Group to manage the messages pertaining to parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers at Laurel Parents Group . If you'd like to continue receiving updates on monthly playdates, outings and superfun activities for children (and adults) please visit the site and sign up. Or contact Chair Kari Martin by email.
Oakland's Laurel District- A History of the Laurel
Curious about the history of the Laurel? Long-time Laurel District resident and East Bay historian Dennis Evanosky has written a history of the neighborhood- Oakland's Laurel District.
Laurel Business Survey Results
In early 2005, the Laurel Village Association conducted a survey of neighbors to determine their top choices for new businesses in the Laurel. While the Laurel Business Survey was in response to potential commercial development at the corner of High Street and MacArthur Boulevard, the responses indicated a strong desire to see a diversity of quality new shops, eateries and other businesses come to the Laurel commercial corridor in general. The number of responses to the survey was tremendous, and they came from residents of the Laurel and of surrounding neighborhoods. Thank you to all who submitted responses. We hope to use the results to influence and promote commercial development in the Laurel. Continue to patronize our neighborhood businesses.
For additional information, see the City Business Profile for the Laurel District, and visit the website of the commercial Business Improvement District Laurel District Association.
(You need Adobe Reader software to view these documents. To download a free version of Adobe Reader, click here.)
