Save the Albany Bulb

I grew up in Berkeley and I've been going to the Bulb since I was small.  Then and now, it is one of the most magical places I've ever visited. In recent discussions about the Bulb, which have focused mainly on the residents, who will be forcibly evicted and not clearly provided for, the state of the Bulb has been treated as a necessary evil which we must figure out how to overcome.  I would like to add an alternative voice to this conversation.
On the landscape of the East Bay, the Bulb juts out in a sort of cross, clearly defined against the Bay.  Formed originally from landfill, this rubbish heap gone wrong has somehow miraculously defied its origins. Grass and trees grow wild in the interior; on the beach, breathtaking artwork made of driftwood and trash fits organically into the landscape.  When the tide is high, it's impossible to get all the way around the promontory without wading and I remember hopping from slick rock to rock and getting wet up to my ankles when I miscalculated. It wasn't a possibility to turn back because the Castle was ahead, a real, genuine castle painted in a bewildering variety of colors, and the whole southern end with its stunning views of the Bay.

The Bulb may be frightening or off-putting to some. But the fact remains that it is a miracle: a patchwork of artistry out of an environmental disaster and a natural home for the homeless and vulnerable.

On behalf of all lovers of the Bulb and of object art, let us come together to preserve this wonderful and unique piece of land in our midst, for our children and for our future.