el cerrito | 511 Contra Costa

Tag: el cerrito

Contra Costa Earth Day Events 2024

Posted on

Earth Day Events

All Month

  • Iron Horse Trail or Online: Go With the Flow – A biking (or walking) tour of Central San’s service area, following the flow of wastewater for 21 miles along the Iron Horse Regional Trail from San Ramon to Martinez. Explore all or part of the route in person or travel it virtually with the guided map tour. Self-guided tour. Location: Iron Horse Trail or online.

Friday, April 19

  • Walnut Creek: Plan(e)t Based Diet Workshop – Speaker April Capil will guide you through the nutritional benefits of a vegetable-rich diet, share easy and delicious ways to include more greens in your daily meals, and discuss the positive effects on physical health, mental clarity, and environmental sustainability. 4-5pm, Walnut Creek Library.

Saturday, April 20

  • Antioch: Keep Antioch Beautiful Cleanup – Join the City of Antioch and help beautify the community by volunteering to do trash cleanup at Waldie Plaza or plant flowers at the Antioch Water Park. After volunteering, head to the Antioch Community Center for a volunteer lunch. 9am-1pm, Antioch Water Park & Waldie Plaza.
  • Antioch: Upper Sand Creek Basin Cleanup – Join the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District (CCRCD) for a trash cleanup at Upper Sand Creek Basin to celebrate Earth Day. If you have any questions regarding this event, or would like to attend, please send Victoria Woolfolk an email at vwoolfolk@ccrcd.org. Click here to register. Cleanup 9am-noon, Upper Sand Creek Basin.
  • Crockett: Earth Day Cleanup in Crockett – Celebrate Crockett’s 5th Annual Earth Day with a waterfront cleanup from 10am to 1pm. Toss on your boots and gloves and help the CCRCD make a difference! Click here to register. Cleanup 10am-1pm, Crockett Waterfront.
  • East Bay Regional Parks: Visit the EBRPD Earth Day Programs & Activities Page to see a list of volunteer opportunities for April 20, including habitat restoration, dune restoration, and cleanup projects. Various times and locations.
  • El Cerrito: El Cerrito Earth Day Celebration – Residents can volunteer at work parties across the city, helping clean up and beautify the city starting at 9am. Work parties (various locations) 9am-noon.
  • El Sobrante: Earth Day Cleanup & Celebration – Join the El Sobrante/94803 Green Team and SPAWNERS at the El Sobrante Library for their annual cleanup and celebration. Sign in and join Green Teams to clean up streets or SPAWNERS to clean local creeks and do landscape gardening. A celebration will follow the cleanup, featuring food, children’s art activities, entertainment, speakers, and more. Cleanup 9:30am-12pm / Celebration 12-2pm. El Sobrante Library.
  • Martinez: John Muir’s Birthday / Earth Day Celebration – A wonderful fun-filled family day in the sun, at the grounds of the John Muir National Historic Site, which includes his 1880s Victorian home and an authentic 1849 Mexican Adobe, along with his orchards and vineyard. There will be youth activities, food and live music, and many displays relating to history, ecology, and nature. Free admission. 10am-4pm, John Muir Historic Site.
  • Pinole: Pinole Earth Walk – A three-mile paved loop walk beginning and ending in Fernandez Park. Snacks and refreshments will be provided at the finish line, and there will be kids’ activities and local environmental organizations to connect with. 9am-noon, Fernandez Park.
  • Pinole: Point Pinole Beach Cleanup – Join the East Bay Regional Park District to celebrate Earth Day at Point Pinole with a shoreline Cleanup. 9am-12pm, Giant Staging Area at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline.
  • Pittsburg: Pittsburg Civic Pride Day – Get involved and take pride in Pittsburg by joining a community litter removal effort! All ages welcome. Check in at Highlands Elementary with weather-proof clothes, sturdy shoes, and a can-do attitude. Water, litter grabbers, safety vests, collection bags, and clipboards will be provided. RSVP here. Check-in 8:45am, litter removal 9am-noon. Meet at Highlands Elementary School (4141 Harbor Street).
  • Invite your friends and RSVP by reserving free tickets at pittcivicpride.eventbrite.com
  • Richmond: Wildcat Canyon Regional Park Habitat Restoration – Join the East Bay Regional Park District to celebrate Earth Day with a morning of habitat restoration at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park. 9am-noon, Alvardo Staging Area at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.
  • Richmond: Earth Day Celebration at the Greenway – The community is invited to discover innovative methods for leading sustainable lives through engaging activities like upcycling clothes, gardening, mural painting, park and garden beautification projects, games, inspiring speakers, bike-powered smoothies, and a variety of other interactive booths. 10am-1pm, Unity Park Community Plaza (1605 Ohio Ave).
  • Richmond: Earth Day Cleanup in North Richmond – Volunteer to help clean up Wildcat Creek. Volunteers should bring closed-toed shoes, a water bottle, and clothes they don’t mind getting dirty. When you’re done volunteering, enjoy a celebration at Shields-Reid Park featuring lots of kid-friendly activities a silent auction. 9-11am: Meet at North Richmond Ballpark and volunteer, 10am-noon: Celebration at Shields-Reid Park.
  • Rodeo: Rodeo Earth Day Cleanup – Toss on your boots and gloves and help the CCRCD make a difference on Earth Day by being part of their cleanup of the Lower Rodeo Creek. Click here to register. Cleanup 10am-1pm, Lower Rodeo Creek.
  • Walnut Creek: Walnut Creek Earth Day. Enjoy live music, a kids’ zone, eco-circus entertainment, a trashy fashion show, and inspiring speakers at Walnut Creek’s Earth Day Celebration. Civic Park, 11am-4pm.
  • Walnut Creek: Broadway Plaza’s Earth Day Celebration – Take the pledge to use reusable bags each time you shop and receive a free reusable shopping bag, then you can visit the Pixie Pop-Ups Flower Truck to build your own beautiful bouquet. 11am-2pm, Event Plaza at Broadway Plaza.
  • Walnut Creek: Parkmead Neighborhood Earth Day Cleanup – Meet at the Tice Creek Elementary School parking lot from 9-11:30am. Groups will head out on pick-up routes that hit the highest litter areas, like Olympic, South Main, Tice Creek and Parkmead Schools. 9-11:30am, Tice Creek Elementary.
  • Walnut Creek: Unity of Walnut Creek – Tending Our Sacred Grounds – During the event, volunteers can enjoy an Earth Day ceremony, help clean up the grounds, and are welcome to bring a potluck item to share with others who care about the environment. 10am-1pm Cleanup projects. 1-2pm: Plant-based potluck. Unity Center of Walnut Creek, 1871 Geary Rd.

Sunday, April 21

  • Emeryville: Shorebird Park Shoreline Cleanup – Come out to Shorebird Park on Sunday, any time from 9am-11:30am. Snacks and refreshments provided. As always, bring what you can (e.g. gloves, grabber, garden digging claw). Organizers will have limited supplies for those who show up without any of the above. Shorebird Park, 9-11:30am.
  • Lafayette: Lafayette Earth Day Festival – Learn how you can help our planet at a family-friendly festival featuring free bike tune-ups, a petting zoo, kids’ activities, educational exhibits, food vendors, and more. Lafayette Plaza Park, 11am-2pm.

Monday, April 22

  • Walnut Creek: Climate Walk – Hosted by Sustainable Walnut Creek, enjoy a captivating tour around the city’s cherished creek, where you’ll witness firsthand the fruitful outcomes of various initiatives aimed at revitalizing the native plant life and enhancing the local ecosystem. 9-11am, Civic Park Gazebo.

Saturday, April 27

  • Pleasant Hill: Grayson Creek Earth Day Cleanup – Grayson Creek is home to more than 100 bird species and also provides habitat for river otters, western pond turtles, and even beavers. Help protect this important community resource by removing trash from the creek banks. Hosted by the Watershed Project, the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, and volunteers from Friends of Pleasant Hill Creeks. Click here to register. Cleanup 9am-noon. Sign in at 250 Cleaveland Rd.

Upcoming Service Changes: County Connection, AC Transit, Wheels, SolTrans (Aug. 2015)

Posted on

County Connection, AC Transit, SolTrans & Wheels (LAVTA) have all announced upcoming service changes. Here’s what you need to know:
Agency: County Connection
Changes Take Effect: August 16
Full Details: http://www.countyconnection.com
Digest:

  • Route 1M – New Service: Service to the Marchbanks neighborhood is being restored between WC BART, John Muir Medical Center and Marchbanks
  • Route 3 – New Martinez Community Shuttle: New route will serve Amtrak, CC Regional Medical Center, Adult Education Serivces, Kaiser, Arnold Dr, and the Senior Center
  • Route 19: Alignment changes to serve Sun Valley Mall and Diamond Blvd
  • Route 310: Two AM and two PM trips added between Concord BART and Clayton/Kirker
  • Route 314: Trip added leaving DVC at 6:10pm
  • 600 Series: Changes to the 611, 613, 616, and 619 school day service

Agency: AC Transit
Changes Take Effect: August 23
Full Details: http://www.actransit.org
Digest:

  • Line 800 will operate more frequently on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning, with service every 20 minutes from 12:30am–6:30am On Sunday mornings, buses will operate every 30 minutes from 6:30am–7:30am
  • Line 76: Two new trips added heading toward El Cerrito del Norte BART on weekdays, leaving Hilltop Mall at 7:13am and 2:24pm
  • Minor schedule changes to Line 72R and G

WHEELSAgency: Wheels (LAVTA)
Changes Take Effect: August 22
Full Details: http://www.wheelsbus.com
Digest:

  • Route 70X has been modified to bypass Walnut Creek in the non-commute direction, operating directly from Dublin to Pleasant Hill in the AM and directly from Pleasant Hill to Dublin in the PM
  • Route 12/12X: Certain trips of the 12X and trips that begin at the Airway Park-n-Ride have been re-arranged within the schedule
  • Route 54: The 5:36am trip is to be discontinued
  • Route 503: The PM schedule has been re-arranged to accommodate Wells Middle School and Dublin High School with separate trips; the previously operated 5:30pm trip has been moved to 5:00pm in order to accommodate the after-school program at Dublin High School
  • Route 501: A second, later departure has been added in the PM to accommodate the after-school program at Dublin High School
  • Schedule changes to Route 3, 10, 12, 54, 70X, 501, 502, 503, 603, 607, 609, and 610

Agency: SolTrans
Changes Take Effect: August 15
Full Details: http://www.soltransride.com
Digest:

  • Minor adjustments to printed schedules for Route 80 & 80s (1-2 minutes) to accurately reflect travel time

MTC's 2015 High School Internship Program: Now Taking Applications

Posted on

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is offering opportunities for Bay Area high school students to get hands-on experience in the transportation field through paid summer internships. They are currently accepting applications for positions in 9 Bay Area counties, including Contra Costa. This year 511 Contra Costa is proud to offer two internship opportunities as part of the program, in our El Cerrito and Pleasant Hill offices.
Screen Shot 2015-02-13 at 1.27.10 PM
Interested students are encouraged to apply for positions in their home county. A current list of available positions is available on the MTC website.
Qualified applicants must:

  • live and go to school in the county they are applying for;
  • have completed the 10th grade; and
  • be at least 16 years of age by date of hire (Thursday, June 18, 2015)*
*NOTE: If you are offered an internship, are under 18 years of age and will not be graduating prior to the start of the program, you will be required to obtain a work permit. Graduating seniors are eligible to apply.

The program is the creation of the MTC’s Minority Citizens Advisory Committee, designed to encourage young people who might not otherwise consider a career in transportation to do so. Students of all races and ethnic backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
To apply or to get more information, visit: mtc.ca.gov/jobs/high_school or contact the MTC Internship Coordinator by phone at (510) 817-5807 or by emailing them at InternCoordinator@mtc.ca.gov. The application deadline is Sunday, March 22.
 

This article has been edited to reflect the MTC’s application deadline change.

 

Carsharing Coming to Richmond and El Cerrito (2015)

Posted on

CityCarShare_Logo_cmykThanks to a nearly $1 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), carsharing is about to become a reality in both Richmond and El Cerrito.
The MTC has awarded a $973,864 grant to fund a program called CarShare4All, a collaboration between City CarShare, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC). The program will deploy vehicles to El Cerrito, Richmond and Oakland, including a wheelchair-accessible van.
“Carsharing is a very important part of our strategy to provide transportation options,” said Kevin Romick, Chair of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, “This project with City CarShare and the Bay Area Climate Collaborative provides critical links to and from public transit, which provides multi-modal travel choices for Contra Costa residents.”
According to a project factsheet released by Richmond Mayor-elect Tom Butt, beyond bringing carsharing to El Cerrito and Richmond, the CarShare4All program will allow City CarShare to expand access to discounted memberships for low- and moderate-income families and increase the availability of wheelchair-accessible vans to its members.
A date for initial service has not yet been released.
For more information about the program, read the CarShare4All fact sheet (posted by Richmond Mayor-elect Tom Butt) or City CarShare’s press release.
For more information on carsharing in Contra Costa County, visit 511CC’s carsharing page.

San Pablo Avenue Spring Fling Celebration Saturday, May 14th 2011

Posted on


Celebrate the completion of the San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Project on Sat. May 14th by attending El Cerrito’s Spring Fling!

Welcome Ceremony — 10:00am to 11:00am

In front of Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, 10070 San Pablo Avenue

  • Welcome by the Mayor
  • Brief overview of the project
  • Dedication of the theater “stars” by the Friends of the Cerrito Theater
  • Light refreshments will be served.
  • Giveaway of 100 Clipper cards for free AC Transit bus rides on-the-day. (Limited supply)

Tour the Avenue — 11:00am to 2:00pm

Walk, bike or take transit along the Avenue to see the recent improvements.
Go at your own pace and visit local stores, galleries and restaurants along the way! Many businesses will be offering discounts or samples as part of the Spring Fling. Tour Stops will highlight:

  • The renovated historic Cerrito Theater
  • Rain Gardens – hosted by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership
  • Water-saving landscape renovations
  • New City Hall & public plaza
  • Pedestrian Safety Improvements & Street Amenities
  • Historic-cultural sidewalk pavers – hosted by the El Cerrito Historical Society
  • Baxter Creek Restoration

For more up-to-date information or to get involved, please contact Suzanne Iarla at (510) 215-4318.

This Week’s Headlines in Transportation & Transit: Mar. 6-12, 2010

Posted on

Local News

Bay Area and California News

Did you know we’re on Twitter? To receive these headlines, information for local transit agencies, 511CC promotions, and more, follow @511CC.

BART adds book check-outs at El Cerrito station

Posted on

booksThis is really cool!  The El Cerrito BART location is now the second book lending machine in Conta Costa County.  It debuts today, and all day today Contra Costa County library employees will be on hand to sign up residents for Contra Costa County library cards.  For those of you who already have a Contra Costa County library card, jsut pop in and check out a  book.
The first Contra Costa book lending machine which opened last year at the Pittsburg-Bay Point BART was the first in the nation.  A third machine is planned for Pleasant Hill.
Read more on the Contra Costa Times website, and on the BART website.