Here are the four projects that were awarded DIA Community Grants for the 2022-2023 period:
Botanical Art of Sausal Creek
Artistic environmentalist Kristine Holohan hosted an all ages workshop series creating Botanical Art at Sausal Creek. The workshop was a collaboration and fundraiser with Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC). Participant groups were led on an artistic exploration and instructional botanical lesson of Sausal Creek at Dimond Park. Participants were given supplies and led to discover and identify native plants as well as the work the FOSC does to maintain the creek and remove invasive native plants.
Community Walks and Talks
Friends of Sausal Creek hosts periodic community education tours, discussions, reading groups, and online events. They cultivate events to create a community space to discuss the many issues and opportunities we share in the Sausal Creek Watershed including environmental justice, advocacy, watershed ecology, restoration, monitoring, and learning about our flora and fauna. All walks, talks, tours and other events are free to the public and over 300 community members participate each year. Within the grant period, the following events were hosted with funding supported in part by the DIA Community Grant:
- Annual State of the Watershed in Dimond Park
- Creek to Bay Day
- FOSC x Bay Nature Creekside Chat – Discussing the Role of Media in the Environmental Movement
- Sausal Creek Rainbow Trout Tour
Dimond Community Arts
Local artist Judith Schonebaum hosted several community art workshops in the Dimond. Workshops were open to all and no cost to participants. Inspired by handcrafts of earlier times, the need to be less wasteful in our own times and reflecting a lifelong interest in folk and community arts, Judy introduced five techniques to create useful and beautiful items from past-use textiles, plastics and natural materials that would otherwise be thrown away. The workshops focused on weaving, crochet, Amish knotting, coiling and hand sewing/quilting.
The Dimond Gateway: Landscape & Tree Trimming
The pocket park at MacArthur and Lincoln was designed and created 20 years ago by local landscape architect Tricia Christopher, with help from the city and community. The landmark serves as a beautiful entrance to the Dimond business district. This landscaped corner is enjoyed by both pedestrians and people driving by. Continued maintenance is required to keep it beautiful and safe for users. As part of this grant, mature tree branches were pruned to prevent breakage, the worn pathways were refreshed, and general garden maintenance was completed.
