The city will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the Albany Bay Trail Connector Tuesday, Oct. 30.
The project was intended to improve the connection between regional pathways throughout the Bay Area and the Bay Trail.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Assemblymember Nancy Skinner are scheduled to attend and to give brief speeches during the ceremony.
The project includes multiple funding from federal, state and regional agencies, as well as partnerships with the University of California, Albany Unified School District, and the United States Department of Agriculture research facility in Albany.
Albany Strollers & Rollers was involved in the process, serving on the committee to select the engineering firm and helping work on the facility design.
If you think riding bikes is satisfying, wait till you learn how to fix them.
WOJ’s recent bike maintenance clinic at our Montclair shop was a great success, so they’re offering another one at the Albany location. Flat tires, wonky shifting, dragging brakes – there’s no reason these problems should keep you off the road or trail, so we’ll teach you how to fix them yourself so you can keep riding. That’s why we’re here, after all.
Learn how to:
Fix a flat tire
Adjust your brakes
Tune your shifting
Replace a chain
True a wheel
Adjust handlebar and seat position
Because there’s nothing more satisfying than the feeling of man (or woman) conquering machine and riding off into the sunset…
RSVP for the event on WOJ’s Facebook page.
Have an old bike sitting in your garage? As part of the City’s Safe Routes to School Program, Albany Middle School students are asking for donations of used bikes (any size) to fix up and donate to students of all ages before Bike to School Day on May 7th. Drop off used bikes at Albany Middle School between 2pm-5pm on Wednesday, April 2nd. Email greenalbany@albanyca.org for more information.
The third Friday of the month is called PARK(ing) Day, a day when select car parking places are repurposed as public spaces. This is the same as a parklet, only for one day, and unofficial.
We will do this with one of the spaces in front of Blue Heron Bikes and Coffee Conscious on Gilman St. in Berkeley. They will have comfortable furniture and a bike blender to make smoothies, in what is just car parking every other day.
It will be fun so come join them!
Then head on up to Bike About Town!
You may know Street Level Cycles as the non-profit that offers free and low-cost bike tuneups every year at
the Albany Arts & Green Festival. Of course, they are a full-service community bicycle shop that combines a do-it-yourself studio with a youth education program, creating a space where members of the community can learn to fix their bicycles while supporting local vocational training.
They rely on donations of bikes and parts to use to fix up bikes that they sell to folks to you and me…and you can always drop them off there from Wednesday-Sunday from noon-6 pm. But on Saturday August 29th they’ll make it even easier for you to donate your bike – they’ll pick it up at your house!
Why donate?
By donating your bike you will:
-Support job-training for local youth
-take part in up-cycling, the greenest form of recycling
-Receive a tax-deductible donation receipt
So if you were wondering what to do with that old bike that no one uses now…here’s a perfect solution. So call or email them!
Spend the afternoon at a Pop-up Park on Solano Avenue!
Tables & umbrellas will be set in two parking stalls adjacent to Gordo’s and Domino’s for a day of community, music and relaxation. Grab a burrito, tacos, pizza, ice cream or anything from local businesses as we transform two boring parking spaces into an inviting parklet.
Afterwards, roll up the hill to pump up your tires at Albany Strollers& Rollers’ brand new public bike pump before heading to the final Bike About Town ride!
Do you ride your bike, walk, hike, jog or otherwise enjoy the Albany Bulb & Neck areas? Do you want to continue to have access so you can enjoy the Albany Waterfront to its fullest? Both pieces are scheduled to be transferred to the East Bay Regional Park District and some groups and individuals want to curtail recreational use and bicycle access.
The City is completing its “Albany Neck & Bulb Transition Improvement Plan” public process so this meeting is your final opportunity to give your input in order to ensure that the Waterfront area is something that can be enjoyed by all.
Representatives from Albany Strollers & Rollers and Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay were invited to a Stakeholder meeting with Albany City Staff and the Planning & Design Consultants, and we were able to voice our opinions.
BUT it is crucial that City Staff, Consultants and City Council hear from YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO SET FORTH PRIORITIES and a plan to communicate to EBRPD.
Bike & hiking paths? Bathrooms? Bike racks? Picnic tables? Improved bicycle access from all directions?
What would make this a great recreational area, like the areas that Berkeley has in its Marina?
This City Council meeting is the FINAL PUBLIC FORUM TO SAY THAT YES, RECREATIONAL ACCESS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Consultants from WRT will give a brief presentation on the process and the final study, and there will be an opportunity for public comment.
More details will be posted as we have more information but please save the date to make sure we keep access to OUR WATERFRONT!
We risk losing access to our Bay if we don’t speak up!
Written comments can be provided in advance of the meeting to cityhall@albanyca.org. We encourage written comments be sent before the day of the meeting to ensure they can be taken into consideration.
Documents related to this effort are included here:
1. Final Albany Neck & Bulb Transition Study (very large – 143 pages)
2. Conservancy Staff Report 05-29-2014
3. WRT_Albany Neck & Bulb Stakeholder Meeting_Access and Recreation
4. Scope of Consultant Services for Albany Neck and Bulb Transition Plan
5. WRT Transition Improvement Plan as of April 2015