Join the City’s Recreation Department at the parklet in front of As You Wish Frozen Yogurt for an all-ages and all-abilities Bike About Town – we will cruise around town as a group from 7-7:30 while emphasizing bicycle safety.
Then we’ll meet back at the corner of Cornell & Solano Avenue for a “Bike-in Movie”. We will be showing ‘Chariots of Fire,’ a film sure to spark you to get out and run!
Ride your bike on down – there will plenty of space to park your bike in a protected area. The popcorn is free and will be flowing freely! This film is PG. Bring a blanket and a lawn chair.
Special thanks to As You Wish Frozen Yogurt for sponsoring this bike-tacular event. In case of inclement weather, check the Albany Rec Department’s Facebook page for event status updates.
Do you bike or walk on Central Avenue under I-80 to reach the places you enjoy?
Would you like to help make it easier and safer to do so?
The Central Avenue / Interstate 80 (I-80) underpass in Richmond leads to a lot of great places—the San Francisco Bay Trail, Point Isabel Dog Park, Costco and the Richmond Marina, to name a few.
CalTrans District 4 wants your ideas on how to transform the underpass into a high-quality pedestrian and bicycle connection!
Current Underpass
Help improve your biking and walking experience in the East Bay!
Join us at the Community Workshop to share ideas on the project design. We will discuss safety features, lighting, wayfinding and other design elements.
It could look like this!!
WHO:
You! Residents, cyclists and walkers in Richmond, El Cerrito, Albany (Pierce Street and West Albany residents, that means you!!) and beyond.
For more information, go to http://www.dot.ca.gov/d4/transplanning/i-80central.html
Hundreds of people from all over the Bay Area take advantage of our Bicycle Valet Parking service at two lots on Solano Avenue. Please volunteer a few hours before enjoying the event! Thanks to Floor Dimensions for donating the Red Carpet to show the way!
Photo courtesy Amy
Albany Strollers & Rollers will again be providing Free Bicycle Valet Parking at two locations: 1800 Solano Ave (Wells Fargo) and 1245 Solano (the vacant lot near Masonic.)
We’ll also have an information table by our western lot near Masonic.
WE NEED YOU TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS!
If you’d like to help park bikes (we parked 300+ last year!!) at either lot or volunteer at AS&R’s info table, please contact Amy Smolens or Sylvia Paull.
This is a great gig for kids, too, as long as they are strong enough to roll a bike. If students need volunteer-hours, this is perfect!
AS&R Super-Volunteer Lynn Eve Komaromi takes a well-earned Pad Thai break – thanks, Bua Luang!
Please join Lynn Eve and your AS&R neighbors in volunteering!
All volunteers who work at least a 4-hr shift or pick up & return rental racks will get free lunch provided by a supporting Solano Avenue restaurants Tay Tah , Bua Luang Thai Cuisine or Brazilian Breads – yum!!
Kim’s Cafe is providing home made iced tea at our lower lot. Some sponsoring businesses also provide fabulous gifts or coupons for our volunteers, too!
RXBAR has also donated boxes of delicious protein bars (many flavors) for all volunteers and visitors to our AS&R booth!
**NEW VOLUNTEER PERK – Sam at Ale Tales just donated discount coupons for all volunteers (or parents of youth volunteers!!)
Volunteer hours run from 9am-5:30pm so it’s easy to pick a shift that works for you!
Since 1974 Solano Avenue and the cities of Albany and Berkeley have hosted the Solano Avenue Stroll, the East Bay’s largest street festival! The Solano Avenue Association , AS&R and Check for Bikes invite you to see what makes Solano Avenue a wonderful place. The Stroll features over five hundred vendors including 50 entertainers (there’s always great music!,) 50 food booths, 150 government and non-profit agencies, 150 juried hand-crafters, a 75 entry parade, state of the art mechanical rides and much more!
Come visit AS&R at our information table then enjoy a great stroll up Solano!
Or better yet, volunteer a few hours with Sherie, Amy and your neighbors before strolling!
Photo courtesy Patsy Reese
230,000 participants and event guests visit from all over the west coast so that’s where YOU come in – many of them ride their bikes, so we need people to help park them in our lots. Lots of them want to talk about cycling and walking around the area, and they want to talk to YOU!
Volunteers like Griffin and Sylvia keep things running like clockwork at both lots
Photo courtesy Patsy
AS&R’s supporting sponsor, Floor Dimensions has donated a long Red Carpet to lead passers-by to our information table and straight up the ramp to our western Bicycle Valet Parking lot!
Please see the press room to stay tuned into what’s hot at this years event!
Bikes, Bikes, Bikes!! 300 + of them at our two lots so please join us!!
Photo courtesy Nick Pilch
Want a fun bike park like Dirt World in Richmond? Support this project at an Albany Parks & Rec meeting and/or write a letter!
On September 13th, a course/park designer will pitch several plans for a proposed mountain bike/BMX bike park in Albany. Commissioners will benefit from input and feedback from the public, especially supporters like you, to help decide which plan, if any, to advance to the City Council. Proposed location is adjacent to Pierce St Park – just below it, to the west on Cleveland St. Early discussions described a MTB component around the perimeter space and a BMX component at the interior. The designer said he likes to design with different riding abilities in mind on the same course (very easy, medium, challenging) and to provide different price points for features, their materials, etc. He has designed and built Richmond’s new Dirt World and many other bike parks.
Here is the Design and Estimate Proposal.
Any input – in person or even in writing – you can provide (even just “looks great!” or “our family would use this!” will be helpful).
Separately, input is sought for what may be the final design review for the new and improved trails at Albany Hill Park. Here are the 90% Plans.
*New ADA trail at the top parallel to the ridge line
*Improvements to existing trails at the north
*Improved, re-landscaped access points to the park where Jackson and Madison dead-end
*Stairs plus a bulbout in the SE corner where Taft hits Hillside
The city has received the monarch roosting report it commissioned and is taking its results and recent community input to limit impacts to trees near monarch habitat. Some commissioners including myself (Bryan Marten) want to also use that information to move forward with choosing a select few trees to remove to improve views of the bay, bird habitat at the mud flats, etc. This involves the city approaching the large land owner at the SW corner of the hill which the city has said it will do.
This is the full agenda for the meeting.
BMX/MTB parks are great fun and recreation for kids, teens and adults!
PLEASE WRITE LETTERS OF SUPPORT to Albany Staff Liaison Chelle Putzer at cputzer@albanyca.org and request that she send your letter to all members of Albany’s Parks & Rec Commission. Thanks!
Join Bike East Bay’s certified instructors and AS&R friends & neighbors for a day of fun games, safety drills, skills building, and a neighborhood ride. This workshop is for kids who are able to ride a bike and ready to take to the paths and roadways with their parents (suggested grade range 2nd-6th).
The event includes instruction on fitting a helmet, performing a bike safety check, communicating with other road users, riding in a straight line and avoiding obstacles, as well as navigating safely through intersections, all while playing fun games!
We will be debuting the new Youth Versions of our Check for Bikes clings and stickers so you can pick some up here!!
We will also bring our bike teeter-totters and end the class with a group ride around the neighborhood together! All minors must be accompanied by an adult to participate, both with their own working bikes and helmets. Each child will receive a free reflective vest.
AS&R will have an information table to talk to parents & kids about riding around the Albany area. You can pick up some great “Check for Bikes” clings and bumper stickers, as well as reflective leg & arm bands for safer biking.
The event is FREE but you must pre-register so for more information and to register please go here.
Hope to see you there!!
WE NEED SOME VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS!
We’re seeking 2-3 people to help out at the family cycling workshop.
9:30-10:15 to help with set up and checking in of participants, while instructors get a feel for the participants and check bikes out mechanically.
9:30-12:45 to speak to kids & parents about bike stuff, and help with packing up.
Contact Britt at bthesen@gmail.com if you can help out!
Due to an overstock of bikes, we are having an As-Is Bike Blowout Sale! We have hundreds of as-is bikes, frames, parts, and accessories that all must go! Complete bikes as low as $10! Unique and rare bikes deeply discounted! Don’t miss it!
More info at their Facebook event link!
Hikes range from strenuous to easy.
**CHECK SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC EVENT TIMES!! Download the full schedule and map to events at https://ectrailtrekkers.wordpress.com/hillside-festival-2019/
Locations vary, including
Motorcycle Hill, where Navellier and Blake streets meet
Madera Elementary School, 8500 Madera Dr.
Madera Circle Entry, between 1540 and 1560 Madera Circle
Regency Gateway, at northern end of Regency Court
King Court Gateway, at end of King Court.
Schmidt Lane Trailhead, near the end of Schmidt Lane, west of the Recycling Center
SO CHECK SCHEDULE FOR LOCATIONS
Sponsored by El Cerrito Trail Trekkers and El Cerrito’s Environmental Quality Committee. Free.
The festival is free but maintaining and restoring the Hillside is not. Please make a tax deductible donation to this effort with a check to “ECCF,” with “Hillside Restoration” in the message line. ECCF is El Cerrito Community Foundation, our fiscal agent. Send to Pam Austin, 834 Kearney St., EC 94530.
Hikes range from strenuous to easy.
**CHECK SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC EVENT TIMES!! Download the full schedule and map to events at https://ectrailtrekkers.wordpress.com/hillside-festival-2019/
Locations vary, including
Motorcycle Hill, where Navellier and Blake streets meet
Madera Elementary School, 8500 Madera Dr.
Madera Circle Entry, between 1540 and 1560 Madera Circle
Regency Gateway, at northern end of Regency Court
King Court Gateway, at end of King Court.
Schmidt Lane Trailhead, near the end of Schmidt Lane, west of the Recycling Center
SO CHECK SCHEDULE FOR LOCATIONS
Sponsored by El Cerrito Trail Trekkers and El Cerrito’s Environmental Quality Committee. Free.
The festival is free but maintaining and restoring the Hillside is not. Please make a tax deductible donation to this effort with a check to “ECCF,” with “Hillside Restoration” in the message line. ECCF is El Cerrito Community Foundation, our fiscal agent. Send to Pam Austin, 834 Kearney St., EC 94530.
Hundreds of people from all over the Bay Area take advantage of our Bicycle Valet Parking service at two lots on Solano Avenue. Please volunteer a few hours before enjoying the event! Thanks to Floor Dimensions for donating the Red Carpet to show the way!
Photo courtesy Amy
Albany Strollers & Rollers will again be providing Free Bicycle Valet Parking at two locations: 1800 Solano Ave (Wells Fargo) and 1245 Solano (the vacant lot near Masonic.)
We’ll also have an information table by our western lot near Masonic.
WE NEED YOU TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS!
If you’d like to help park bikes (we parked almost 300 last year!!) at either lot or volunteer at AS&R’s info table, please contact Amy Smolens or Sylvia Paull.
AS&R Super-Volunteer Lynn Eve Komaromi takes a well-earned Pad Thai break – thanks, Bua Luang!
Please join Lynn Eve and your AS&R neighbors in volunteering!
This is a great gig for kids, too, as long as they are strong enough to roll a bike. If students need volunteer-hours, this is perfect!
VOLUNTEERS (first 10 to commit at Masonic Lot) WHO WORK AT LEAST A 4-HR SHIFT WILL GET FREE LUNCH PROVIDED BY A SUPPORTING SOLANO AVENUE RESTAURANTS Bua Luang Thai Cuisine or Brazilian Breads – yum!! Others will get FREE Bobas donated by Tay Tah !!
Kim’s Cafe is providing home made iced tea at our lower lot. Some sponsoring businesses also provide fabulous gifts or coupons for our volunteers, too!
Volunteer hours run from 9am-5:30pm so it’s easy to pick a shift that works for you!
AS&R’s volunteers park hundreds of bikes at two lots at the annual Solano Stroll! Please give us a hand this year!
Since 1974 Solano Avenue and the cities of Albany and Berkeley have hosted the Solano Avenue Stroll, the East Bay’s largest street festival! The Solano Avenue Association , AS&R and Check for Bikes invite you to see what makes Solano Avenue a wonderful place. The Stroll features over five hundred vendors including 50 entertainers (there’s always great music!,) 50 food booths, 150 government and non-profit agencies, 150 juried hand-crafters, a 75 entry parade, state of the art mechanical rides and much more!
Come visit AS&R at our information table then enjoy a great stroll up Solano! Or better yet, volunteer a few hours with your neighbors before strolling!
230,000 participants and event guests visit from all over the west coast so that’s where YOU come in – many of them ride their bikes, so we need people to help park them in our lots. Lots of them want to talk about cycling and walking around the area, and they want to talk to YOU!
AS&R’s supporting sponsor, Floor Dimensions has donated a long Red Carpet to lead passers-by to our information table and straight up the ramp to our western Bicycle Valet Parking lot!
Volunteers like Griffin and Sylvia keep things running like clockwork at both lots
Photo courtesy Patsy Reese
Please see the press room to stay tuned into what’s hot at this years event!
See you soon!
“The program explores the inviting and spectacular public places along the Bay Trail route. On each show, we spotlight a particular place and have guests providing inside knowledge on what to expect and how to make the most of your visits. We also discuss the wide array of activities the Bay Trail supports such as hiking, biking, kayaking, photography, birding, swimming and many others. We talk about the wildlife you can see and history you’ll learn about along the Trail. Each month’s show will provide specific recommendations and valuable information to help you make the most of this amazing public resource.”
Here’s a brief preview of this Bay Trail Confidential program:
“We’ll be joined by Sally Dinwoodie and Barbara Christianson, who have led a group of women who circumnavigated the Bay on foot over a period of four years. Journalist Aleta George has written about their adventures and will also appear on the show. In addition, I’ll begin talking about the Bay Trail Taco project and give information on how to get more involved.”
The program is hosted by SF City Guides. We’re grateful to everyone who can make a donation and help us keep our non-profit strong as we weather the pandemic.
On my program, I encourage people to ask questions and share thoughts using Chat. At the end of the one-hour program, we invite attendees to unmute and share thoughts.
I hope many of you will be able to join us. We’ve already explored a lot of other terrific Bay Trail places including Coyote Hills in Fremont, the new Crane Cove Park in SF and the many Bay Trail segments in Richmond. We reach people all over the Bay Area, and my hope is that each show will encourage many to check out new segments.
