Bertha Port Park

Bertha Port Park is a small public park located in West Oakland, California. Situated at the intersection of Goss Street and Wood Street, this compact urban green space has undergone significant transformation over the years.

Originally opened in 1947, the park was named after Bertha Bastian Port and was created when Philip Joseph Port donated the land as a memorial to his wife. At its inception, the park was designed with pre-schoolers in mind, featuring slides, swings, picnic tables, and a climbing tree.

For many years, Bertha Port Park fell into disrepair, becoming little more than a dusty lot with a worn statue of a dolphin and a single tree. However, through community advocacy and collaboration with organizations like The Trust for Public Land, the park was revitalized in the mid-2000s.

A community block party in July 2006 celebrated the reopening of Bertha Port Park, marking its transformation into a renewed gift for the West Oakland community in the 21st century. The renovation efforts breathed new life into this quarter-acre space, turning it from a desolate sandy lot into an inviting neighborhood play area for local children.

One of the park's notable features is the dolphin statue, which was given new life during the renovation. The statue was covered in mosaics by Laurel True, co-founder of the Institute of Mosaic Art, adding a vibrant artistic element to the park's landscape.