Events

Do you ride in or through El Cerrito? Yup, me too!
Want a San Pablo Avenue that is safer for your and your family to ride? I thought so!

Want protected bike lanes on San Pablo Avenue? Go to one of the El Cerrito meetings and speak up!

Opponents are up in arms over El Cerrito’s plans for designing bikeways on San Pablo Avenue, including protected bikeways in the Midtown area between its two BART stations. We need supporters at Monday’s City Council meeting. Because of opposition, it appears that the proposed Plan has removed bike lanes in sections, due mainly to concerns about parking, many of these concerns without basis. Please help us convince local businesses that you are their best customers and that you support continuous bikeways on San Pablo Avenue.

We still want to see bike lanes included at the north and south ends of San Pablo Avenue, where sharrows are currently proposed in the Downtown and Uptown areas of El Cerrito. The goal is a continuous bikeway on San Pablo Avenue between public transit, businesses, and residences, connecting you to the places you ride. Sharrows are no substitute for your safety.

Please attend the meeting and tell El Cerrito City Council that you bike to get to businesses on San Pablo Ave, that bike lanes will be good for their economy.

If you can’t attend Monday’s meeting, email Melanie Mintz, interim Community Development Director,  Mayor Greg Lyman, or any of the City Council Members – Janet Abelson, Rebecca Benassini, Jan Bridges or Mark Friedman.

For more info go to El Cerrito’s website on the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan.

Join the fun! courtesy: Peggy McQuaid

Want to test your cycling, running and swimming skills in a low-key setting, while helping AHS sports teams in the process?

Come on down to Memorial Park for on September 27th for the Albany Community Triathlon!
The Albany Community Triathlon emphasizes fitness and fun with a 400m swim, 10k cycle and 3k run.
Registration is available at www.albanytri.com.
Registrants will get a t-shirt and other swag while supplies last!
All proceeds will go to the Albany High School Athletic Department to benefit all teams.  In addition to the fund raising, this event focuses on fitness and fun.  If you have always wanted to participate in a triathlon, but felt intimidated at the prospect, this is the one for you.

New for 2014 – RELAY TEAM (that’s what I’m taking part in.) I’m doing the cycling portion, and I found friends for the swim and the run! I’ll root for my teammate during the swim, ride my bike, then root for my other teammate while she runs! What a fun way to spend the morning and work up and appetite for “Dinner With Albany.”
Also new for 2014 – YOUTH AND STUDENT DISCOUNTS!
There is still a FAMILY & FRIENDS HEAT!
Parents, kids, spouses: When you register, you can indicate your desire to be in the same wave as one or more family members or friends. Then you can compete together & keep an eye on each other during the race (but not assist each other, per triathlon rules).
POST-RACE FESTIVITIES – Stick around after the race to recover with some healthy food, finisher awards, raffle prizes, massages, and schmoozing with fellow participants, volunteers, sponsors, and race organizers.

Feel great when you cross that Finish Line! photo credit Amy Smolens

Albany Strollers & Rollers is excited to again be sponsoring the Albany Community Triathlon – other sponsors include the Albany Community Foundation, Albany Lions Club,  Blue Heron Bikes, REI, Albany Ford- Subaru and TranSports.
AS&R is lending the bike racks we use for bicycle valet parking to the triathlon for the race transition area and we are also putting goodies in the swag bags of all participants and volunteers. So come on down and participate in the fun!
For more information about the Albany Triathlon and to register, please see the web site, www.albanytri.com.  This is a great community event and really fun to watch even if you don’t want to participate!
Come on down, have fun and support Albany High School sports!!

Here are some of the 96 BikeLink lockers at nearby El Cerrito Plaza BART

Come help our neighbor to the North, El Cerrito, shape its bicycle and pedestrian future!
The Open House for El Cerrito’s Active Transportation Plan will begin with a short presentation about the planning process and proposed bicycle and pedestrian networks. Focus area project posters will be available for review and comment throughout the workshop.
The City released the draft Plan for public comment on Sunday, June 14th. The Plan, which is an update to the 2007 Circulation Plan for Bicyclists and Pedestrians, evaluated the existing bicycle and pedestrian networks and identified new focus projects and programs to close gaps in these networks and provide amenities to make it easier to bike and walk in El Cerrito.
The draft Plan proposes nine focus area projects, revised bicycle and pedestrian networks, a policy toolkit and program framework to making walking and biking easier in El Cerrito. The nine focus area projects are:

• BART to Bay Trail Access Improvements at Central Avenue, Carlson Boulevard, and Cerrito Creek Connections between Plaza BART and the Bay Trail
• Ohlone Greenway Crossing Improvements – Citywide
• Citywide Wayfinding at Key Walking and Biking Routes
• Arlington Boulevard Pedestrian Improvements
• East Side Bicycle Boulevard – Blake Street, Norvell Street, Schmidt Lane, Richmond Street,
• Moeser Lane, Norvell Street, Lincoln Avenue, Albemarle Street, Behrens Street
• Wayfinding associated with East Side Bicycle Boulevard
• Key Boulevard Improvements – between Humboldt Street and Hill Street
• Fairmount Avenue Improvements – between Carlson Boulevard and Colusa Avenue
• Potrero Avenue Improvements – between western City Limit and Ohlone Greenway

The draft Plan is available for review via the project website, www.el-cerrito.org/ATP. Public comments will be accepted from Sunday, June 14th until Friday, July 17th and may be submitted via email to the Public Works Department at streets@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us, via mail to City of El Cerrito, 10890 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530 or dropped off at the El Cerrito City Hall Front Counter, Attn: Public Works.

Come join the fun!
courtesy: Peggy McQuaid

Want to test your cycling, running and swimming skills in a low-key setting, while helping AHS sports teams in the process?

Come on down to Memorial Park for on September 27th for the Albany Community Triathlon!
The Albany Community Triathlon emphasizes fitness and fun with a 400m swim, 10k cycle and 3k run.
Registration is available at www.albanytri.com.
Registrants will get a t-shirt and other swag while supplies last!
All proceeds will go to the Albany High School Athletic Department to benefit all teams.  In addition to the fund raising, this event focuses on fitness and fun.  If you have always wanted to participate in a triathlon, but felt intimidated at the prospect, this is the one for you.
I took part in the RELAY last year – I  did the cycling portion, and found friends for the swim and the run! It was fun rooting for my teammate during the swim, riding my bike, then rooting for my other teammate while she ran!
Again for 2015 – YOUTH AND STUDENT DISCOUNTS!
There is still a FAMILY & FRIENDS HEAT!
Parents, kids, spouses: When you register, you can indicate your desire to be in the same wave as one or more family members or friends. Then you can compete together & keep an eye on each other during the race (but not assist each other, per triathlon rules).
POST-RACE FESTIVITIES – Stick around after the race to recover with some healthy food, finisher awards, raffle prizes, massages, and schmoozing with fellow participants, volunteers, sponsors, and race organizers.

Feel great when you cross that Finish Line!
photo credit Amy Smolens

Thank you to the Albany Community Triathlon for purchasing 2 brand new racks for Albany Strollers & Rollers’ use all year when we provide Bicycle Valet Parking! AS&R is excited to again be sponsoring the Albany Tri – supplying bike racks for the transition area and swag for the goodie bags. Other sponsors include the Albany Community Foundation, Albany Lions Club,  Blue Heron Bikes, REI, Albany Ford- Subaru and TranSports.
So come on down and participate in the fun!
For more information about the Albany Triathlon and to register, please see the web site, www.albanytri.com.  This is a great community event and really fun to watch even if you don’t want to participate!
Come on down, have fun and support Albany High School sports!!