Residents crying foul about duck pond closure in Livermore

LIVERMORE, Calif. (KGO) -- It's what's left of a longtime local landmark in Livermore's Springtown neighborhood -- a once shimmering duck pond that's now turned to muck.

Soon it will be filled in with the dirt, now being brought in by the truckload.

"Whoever is in charge of this atrocity needs to reach out to the citizens of Livermore who want to maintain this pond," said Catherine Myers, a longtime neighbor who is among several residents spearheading a petition drive to stop the removal of the pond.

The 50-year-old man-made pond was once home to a variety of wildlife, including ducks, geese and several species of birds, fish, frogs and turtles.

But now, it's been fenced in, the water diminishing and much of the wildlife relocated to sanctuaries around the Bay Area.

"Whatever the city announced, it wasn't enough, 'cause I had not heard anything about this whatsoever," said another frustrated neighbor, Roger Logan.

"We've had over a year of community outreach," said Judy Erlandson, Livermore's Public Works Manager.

It's part of a larger master plan to turn the old golf course into open space, without a pond.

"The pond is in poor condition, the resident waterfowl and geese get into traffic and cause traffic issues and we haven't had a viable water source for a couple of years now," explained Erlandson.

According to the city, the issues began with the pond three years ago, when Springtown golf course closed and basically the irrigation system went away.

But many who live here were surprised to learn the pond would be removed and hardscape -- a skate park and parking lot -- put in its place.

"This is what the community has approved," said Erlandson.

"No, no and we won't give up," said Myers. "It's the right thing to do, something that's been here for many, many years to preserve it."

There's a petition drive to stop it, but as it is now, the city plans to remove the pond completely this summer once the existing ducklings and goslings are old enough to fly away.

Any remaining animals, like the turtles, will be sent to a sanctuary.