Fremont man chronicling 'Lake Liz'
Writer hopes to interview 100 people for book by October

Fremont Argus, August 20, 2007
by Chris De Benedetti, STAFF WRITER

FREMONT — Lake Elizabeth in Central Park.

Where some might see merely a place to relax or take a walk, Doug Tinney sees a majestic symbol of a very diverse community's social common ground.

"Regardless of our backgrounds, we all strive for the same things: family, peace, serenity and coexistence," said Tinney, a Fremont resident since 1972. "Lake Elizabeth and the park give people that."

Tinney should know. He's been interviewing people there since May, asking them to tell their personal stories and why they visit the lake. He has done about 30 interviews and hopes to garner a total of 100 by October.

He plans to compile the visitors' tales in a book titled "Life & Liberty at Lake Liz."

Nearly each morning he has been setting up next to the park's Peace Pole, which features several different languages. In a city with nearly 140 languages spoken and people from 155 countries, the spot signifies Fremont's amazing array of ethnic diversity.

The lake's visitors are no different.

On any given day, Tinney has spoken with joggers, dog walkers, kids on field trips and old-time Fremont residents playing chess.

There has been an Hungarian couple who moved to Fremont from Europe in the 1950s; or the longtime Palo Alto pair who stopped by just to check out the jewel located in the heart of the city. Or there is the Indo-American former Fremont resident who recently moved to Saratoga, but lamented to Tinney that she desperately wants to move back so she can be closer to the lake.

On Tuesday, Tinney was interviewing Fremont Councilmember Anu Natarajan. On Friday, Tinney was hoping to photograph the graying Sikh men who gather at the park's benches on many an afternoon.

Before his interviews are done, he plans to photograph the Fremont Police Department's SWAT team, which trains by the lake.

"It's a great community setting, you just feel like you belong here," Natarajan said, her eyes scanning the placid water as Fremont's brown hills stood in the background.

"This is our watering hole," added Tinney. "This is where we congregate to connect with others and to disconnect from the busy world."

Tinney, 60, is a married father of three grown children. A successful graphic designer, he has cut back his work schedule in recent years.

"I'm not retired, I'm just tired of the corporate world," Tinney said, chuckling.

He might self-publish the book and next year would be a good release date given that the lake turns 40 in 2008, Tinney said.

When "Lake Liz" is published, it will be his first book. "I've never done something like this before," he said.

Those interested in sharing their story with Tinney, visit http://www.dougtinneydesigns.com. Or send an e-mail to doug@dougtinneydesigns.com.

Staff writer Chris De Benedetti covers Fremont issues. He can be reached at 510-353-7002 or cdebenedetti@angnewspapers.com.