Sunday, December 17, 2000  

By Jennie Rothenberg CORRESPONDENT

OAKLAND -- Visitors to Oakland's Children's Fairyland may have noticed that the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe is on vacation. Her giant boot, the Fairyland guard post for 50 years, now stands empty. Meanwhile, the neighborhood is changing.

"We're building new restrooms, new administration buildings, a snack bar, and a new entryway," said Carmine Garafolo, foreman of the $1.5 million dollar construction project. "The new look is going to reflect more of Oakland's cultural diversity." Visitors will pay their $5 fee at a Russian-style gateway, entering the park through arches of Asian and African design.

Children's Fairyland, built in 1950 by the Lake Merritt Breakfast Club, preceded Disneyland as the first storybook theme park in America. Its rides took children through such tales as Alice in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows, Peter Rabbit, and Peter Pan. Walt Disney himself is said to have visited the park to gain inspiration.

The original 1950's rides continued to serve three generations of children, but the half-century of children's clamoring made its mark on Fairyland. The need for expanded facilities became more and more clear. Large-scale renovations finally became possible in 1994 when Fairyland gained its own non-profit status, independent from the city of Oakland. The construction of the new facilities is funded by Bond Measure I and private donations.

The Old Woman's shoe will remain standing, but her job will be taken over by gatekeepers in the new multicultural pavilion. It is a bold step, though not the first, towards a more global Fairyland.

The statues outside Fairyland's "Chapel of Peace" depict brides of African, Asian, and European descent. A Chinese Tree Tea House, dedicated in 1963 by the Joe Shoong Foundation, brings a Far-East flavor to the park with its giant dragon slide.

Nearby, the Anse the Spider Man ride contributes elements of African mythology. Its fence displays colorful animal cut-outs, while a sign invites children to "climb to the heavens" and ask Nyame the Sky God for stories.

Still, the majority of the rides are derived from European-based themes.

"More rides from other cultures would be a good introduction for the kids," said Eva Wong, an Asian-American mother supervising her three children. "They'd see that different countries have different folklore."

No new rides are being planned for Fairyland, but the next phase of construction will bring in another set of well-loved characters. Designer Mario Chiodo is planning a "Movers and Shakers" pathway through Fairyland. The path will be lined by 9-foot busts, among them the likenesses of Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Gloria Crowell, an African-American Oakland native, said that the greater cultural diversity will be "nice for adults." She doubted her 2-year-old son Clayton, at the time busily climbing aboard a pirate ship, would appreciate the gesture. "Now," she mused, "if they had a Pokemon ride…"

Pokemon may not find himself alongside Mother Goose, or Mother Theresa, in the near future. Meanwhile, children of all backgrounds seem content to spin, climb, and slide their way through the original rides. Most parents seem content as well, but many are happy about Fairyland's broadening spectrum of cultural images.

"Children identify with things from their own background," said Rochelle Menikaheim, a Hayward mother of Filipino descent. "Even if they aren't aware of what it all means, it could make them feel more at home."