Surrounded by boutique storefronts in the upscale Fourth Street shopping area of Berkeley sits an unassuming 2-acre parking lot. For 5,000 years this was an Ohlone Village Site where two massive shellmounds grew—sites of burial and ceremony.
For the past two years, Lisjan Ohlone leader Corrina Gould has been fighting a five-story condo project proposed for this sacred site. Corrina and her allies won the battle when developers dropped the project in August 2018.
Although the owners of the land vow to find a new developer, and have sued the city of Berkeley, now is the time to fight for a new vision.
With thanks to Carla, Desiree and Brenda Munoz (Rumsen Ohlone of Carmel) for the beautiful opening song, and to Chris Walker for the amazing animated sequence.
For more information check out project director Toby McLeod’s blog “We Can Save the West Berkeley Shellmound”.