Join Friends of Albany Parks and El Cerrito Green Teams and in their first trash/litter clean-up of 2016! They will be meeting at a scenic stretch of Cerrito Creek alongside El Cerrito Plaza to clean up the creek and surrounding areas as needed. All ages are welcome.
Sign up to volunteer today!
(510) 215-4350, green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or just show up!
Latecomers welcome. Meet near Trader Joe’s south side in El Cerrito Plaza. Tools, gloves and good company provided. Wear closed-toed shoes with traction and clothes that can get dirty.
Do you or your family ride, walk, roll, scoot or skate on the Ohlone Greenway? I’m sure you do, as the multi-use path on the Greenway is Albany’s Active Transportation Highway – over 1,000 trips per day on regular days when last counted several years ago!
The Parks & Rec Department is overseeing Greenway improvements so now’s the time to give input in order to have a better experience to stroll, roll or just hang out!
Do you or your family ride on the Ohlone Greenway? Now’s the time to give input to improve it!
The information with the Project Plans and what was discussed at previous meetings is at this link. However, the proposal will be updated based on feedback that they received at February 1, so people should come to see how it evolved!
At this meeting the consultants will have 35% designs for you to see and provide input. This is a crucial time in the planning process!
Preferred Concept plan that was presented to Council on February 1 included:
- Plaza area as presented in the 250K Focused amenities (Adventure play with climbing wall, fitness pod with 3 stations, both diagonal ramps, social path short cut to Solano
- Redwood Grove informal play area
- San Gabriel sculpture play
- Social paths
- 3 Creek paintings
- 3 fitness stations along Greenway with 2 pieces of equipment at each
- Dartmouth Circle improvements
- Orchards
- Public Art locations
A parcourse, wayfinding, art – all can have a positive effect on the experience, safety and atmosphere of strolling and rolling.
An orchard is proposed for the eastern edge of the Greenway. What a great idea… BUT if those trees are planted too close to the multi-use path, as was already done south of Dartmouth, they will drop debris on the path, encroach on the path itself and also invite more conflicts between people biking northbound & walking on the east dg path and people who are picking fruit.
Another point someone brought up was that some of the existing trees west of the path cast are planted directly between the overhead light and the path, casting shadows on the path and making the nighttime path experience more dangerous.
In short, as Albany’s Active Transportation Highway, the City must take care not to degrade this important function. If amenities to either side are to be added, it should be done with great care.
Please attend this meeting to give your input and improve the Ohlone Greenway for everyone – strollers, rollers, sitters, dog-walkers, and fruit-pickers!
**THE AGENDA AND 35% PLANS ARE HERE** (NOTE: 4.3 MB FILE)
Do you or your family ride on the Ohlone Greenway? Spend a few hours to clean it up for everyone…and get a free lunch!
Do you and your family use the Ohlone Greenway for fun and transportation? Sure you do!
Here’s a great opportunity to spend a few hours cleaning it up for everyone you know.
PLUS, you’ll get free pizza for lunch courtesy of Albany Community Foundation and a free Friends of Albany Parks t-shirt!
Kids are welcome – the more, the merrier!
So come on out for a few hours, meet your neighbors, have a free lunch and help our community!
Would you rather have the Bay Trail look LIKE THIS…
Do you and your family ride or walk on the Bay Trail? Then come on down to help clean it up for yourself and everyone…and get a free lunch for your time!
Join AS&R, Albany Community Foundation, Albany Rotary, and the City of Albany as we work together to clean-up and improve the Bay Trail in Albany. Between Buchanan Avenue and our border with Richmond, the Bay Trail runs along Freeway 680. This stretch receives a lot of trash from the
freeway, and is hard to access for servicing. A recent clean-up job has left this area in a much improved state, but there is work still to be done.
…OR LIKE THIS??
Join us as we paint over graffiti, sweep rocks off of the path, and trim trees to allow easy cycling access. Bring gloves, sunscreen, and a water bottle. Wear clothes you can paint in. Tools will be provided.
Rotary is covering supplies to $100, ACF is providing lunch, and the City will help with trash removal.
Meet at Buchanan and the Bay Trail, just west of the freeway underpass.
It’s time for the Albany Arts & Green Festival again!
AS&R’s booth is always busy! Can you volunteer a few hours with us?
Photo courtesy Angela Armendariz
Come out to Memorial Park for green lifestyle booths, art booths, local performers, food trucks, music and more! This family friendly event will include lots of activities for kids.
Our Bicycle Valet Parking service, this year sponsored by service organization Berkeley Lions Club, is always popular – we could sure use your help parking bikes – thanks! photo courtesy Amy Smolens
As AS&R does every year, we will provide FREE bicycle valet parking, so you can enjoy the festival without worrying about your bike! This year the service organization BERKELEY LIONS CLUB has stepped up as a new sponsor of our Bicycle Valet Parking – thanks to BLC President Dave Nicely and the board for helping our organization!
Come visit our booth to find out about what’s going on for cyclists and pedestrians here in Albany!
Local bike shop BLUE HERON HAS AGAIN DONATED SOME FABULOUS PRIZES for our 3rd annual kids’ coloring contest so be sure to bring the kids down!!!
These kids were so excited about winning a bike bell that they didn’t even take their helmets off before coloring! Photo courtesy Francesco Papalia
WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO PARK BIKES AND WORK AT OUR TABLE TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS! CAN YOU PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP US FOR A FEW HOURS?
Lynn Eve Komaromi takes a well-earned Pad Thai break – thanks, Bua Luang & Tah Tah! ALL VOLUNTEERS WILL GET A DELICIOUS FREE LUNCH!
VOLUNTEERS WILL GET A DELICIOUS FREE LUNCH FROM COMMUNITY SPONSORS BUA LUANG OR TAY TAH plus A SPECIAL COUPON FROM TAY TAH!!
Please email Laura Emery or Amy Smolens to help out or fill out this simple form!
Street Level Cycles has graciously donated free bike tuneup services at the Arts & Green Festival since 2008
photo courtesy Matt McHugh
For the 9th straight year, non-profit bike workshop Street Level Cycles will provide free or low-cost bike tuneups, so if you have an old bike that you want to get road-ready, come on down! Don’t forget, Bike to Work Day is on May 12th, so here’s a way to help make sure your ride is up and running well.
More info about the Festival is here.
If you can help stuff these bags full of swag on the afternoon of May 6, please email Ken – thanks!
You’ve enjoyed picking up the famous Bike to Work Day musette bags, chock full of swag & snacks. Help stuff those musette bags for our Energizer Station so friends, neighbors and passers-by can enjoy the fruits of our labor!
You’ve seen Lucy & Ethel in their famous assembly line – help us make ours more fun & successful by joining us!
This important pre-Bike to Work Day event is a ton of fun for all ages. Fast-paced assembly line is a great experience for kids. Snacks provided.
You’ve been getting the bags for free for years, now see how it’s done and boost your karma!
If you want to connect with others to bike or BART to Sports Basement, leave a note in the Comments section of this post.
The musette bags are always filled with swag!
It’s the 23rd Annual Bike to Work Day in the Bay Area, a party on wheels!!
Come join our annual rolling party, Bike to Work Day!
photo courtesy Nick Pilch
As usual, there will be coffee, snacks, swag, bike goodies, the famous Bike to Work Day musette bags, food, coffee, fun and lots of good conversation & information so come on down on your way to work!
Great news – Bikes on Solano is co-hosting this year’s Energizer Station with Albany Strollers & Rollers, so Mike, the owner, and other staff will be there with work stations checking your bicycles for safety and road-worthiness!
Plenty of food and drink for everyone, but we could use people to pick it up!
courtesy Francesco Papalia
We need help at our Energizer Station the morning of, as well as preparing for a big celebration.
Can you help stuffing the musette bags with goodies on May 6th from 3-5pm, picking up food & coffee early morning on the 12th, and handing out swag, food and counting cyclists all morning at the Energizer Station?
If so, please contact Ken McCroskey at kenwait@aol.com or leave a comment on this post.
Thanks!!
For Elected & Appointed Officials, as well as City Staff, City Councilman Nick Pilch is leading a ride for you…details coming soon, and yes, it will finish at the Energizer Station so you can enjoy our swag, food and company!
If you can help stuff these bags full of swag on the afternoon of May 6, please email Ken – thanks! Snacks provided!
The musette bags are always filled with swag!
School kids learn how to cycle safely and have fun doing it, while following the rules of the road.
Photo courtesy Peggy McQuaid
Bring your kids to Albany Police Activity League’s Annual Bike Rodeo!
Free bicycle helmets will be given to the first 100 youth participants.
Ken McCroskey, AS&R’s master helmet adjuster and children’s brain guardian, tirelessly applies his craft
courtesy: Francesco Papalia
Rodeo activities will include bike inspections, safety information, and a bicycle safety course.
The goal of the bicycle rodeo is to encourage riders to wear helmets on every ride, to give young cyclists basic skills for on-road riding, and to teach them the rules of the road to help keep them safe. This event focuses on young riders in elementary and middle school.
Cycles of Change and some AS&R members will again be working with kids, showing them how to ride their bikes safely and responsibly.
Bicycle + fruit + blender = delicious fun!! Want to help like Tenisha is doing here? Email Ken!
Photo courtesy Amy Smolens
We’ll also have our ”Check for Bikes” clings on hand for parents…and the famous Bicycle Blender so everyone can pedal-power a delicious smoothie!
PLEASE VOLUNTEER: We could definitely use some help running the bike blender station, fitting helmets, and talking to parents & kids. Any takers, please? Volunteers get a cash-value coupon from one of our favorite local supporting businesses, Tay Tah! Want to help out? Please contact Ken McCroskey.
Kids, don’t try this at home…just yet!
Entertainment will be provided by world-famous flatland BMX rider Pete Brandt!
Come visit AS&R at our information table then enjoy a great stroll up Solano!
Or better yet, volunteer a few hours before strolling!
Albany Strollers & Rollers will again be providing Free Bicycle Valet Parking at two locations: 1800 Solano Ave (Wells Fargo) and 1245 Solano (the “Pumpkin Patch” 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 at either lot or volunteer at AS&R’s info table, please contact Amy Smolens.
AS&R’s volunteers park hundreds of bikes at two lots at the annual Solano Stroll! Please give us a hand this year!
All volunteers who work at least a 4-hr shift or pick up & return rental racks will get free lunch provided by a Solano Avenue restaurant, probably Tay Tah or Zaytoon. Whichever one is is, it’ll be delicious!!
AS&R 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!
Have Valet Parking experience? Mac McCurdy, BVP coordinator extraordinaire, is ready to pass on his trade secrets to train another coordinator. Would you like to be trained by pros like Mac and Sylvia Paull, to fill this important role and add to your LinkedIn bio? And YES, I have a special prize/perk in mind for the person who volunteers for this!
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 and AS&R 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 the unique and popular professional services, restaurants, and shops already here on Solano Avenue.
Volunteers Sara, Nick, Sylvia, Ken and Anne beneath the Bua Luang banner after a long & productive day of parking 300+ bikes! Please join them this year!
250,000 participants and event guests visit from all over the west coast.
This family event promotes the unique traits of Solano Avenue, helping independently-owned businesses, artists, and community organizations to thrive by exposure and fundraising.
Please see the press room to stay tuned-into what’s hot at this years event!
Brought to you by the Cities of Albany and Berkeley; and with the help of our generous sponsors, SAA members, and volunteer board of directors.
Bike Share’s coming to Berkeley soon!
Bike Share in the Bay Area will be bigger and better soon. With 7,000 bikes at full build-out, the system will have stations every few blocks in San Francisco; connect Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryville; and extend the San Jose service area from the downtown core. It will link people to MUNI and BART, to jobs and schools, and all that the Bay Area has to offer.
The City of Berkeley has partnered with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Bay Area Motivate to launch bike share in Berkeley in 2017. Berkeley will have 400 bikes and 37 bike share stations. Bike share will create a 24-hour, regional transportation network for short, one-way trips. Bike share provides an easy way of making trips from your home to BART, from your office to lunch, to dinner and a friend’s house. The Bay Area Bike Share system expansion will also include Emeryville (100 bikes), Oakland (850), San Francisco (4,500) and San Jose (1,000.)
No, not in Albany yet, but hopefully the next expansion will include Albany, El Cerrito and Richmond.
The next step is public workshops, where neighbors sit around maps and discuss which station locations work best for their community. You are invited to review possible site locations and give input, which will be considered, along withcrowd-sourced suggestions and technical analysis.
There are two more opportunities to give input so take advantage of them!
West Berkeley: September 28, 2016 West Berkeley Public Workshop, 6 & 6:45pm at the Sierra Club
North Berkeley: September 29, 2016 North Berkeley Public Workshop, 6 & 6:45pm at the North Berkeley Senior Center
