Outdoors
The East Bay Regional Park District began during the height of the Great Depression with a ballot measure asking voters to institute a property tax for the purpose of creating a park system. Despite the hard economic times, voters overwhelmingly agreed to tax themselves so they could have more parks. Ninety years later, about 25 million people a year enjoy what has become the largest park district of its kind in the nation, a network essential to the active, outdoor…
This story was reported and published in a collaboration between Richmond Confidential and Richmondside. Najari Smith, co-founder and co-owner of Rich City Rides Cooperative Inc., reported to police on Jan. 13 that he walked into the bike co-op on Macdonald Avenue in Richmond and found thousands of dollars of merchandise missing. In the following days, he gave media interviews about the reported theft and started collecting donations through a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of raising $200,000 for the beloved neighborhood shop….
Richmond City Council voted in a special meeting Friday to back a $40 million sale of Point Molate to the East Bay Regional Park District, ending years of discussion about how to develop the sprawling coastline property that once was a Naval depot and a winery. “Twenty plus years of community organizing, continuously bringing to the forefront the hopes and dreams of our residents for a major park at Point Molate, have once again demonstrated that with hard work and…
Richmond is set to relaunch its electric bike share program after a two-year hiatus. The project will be through a partnership between Richmond and Today, a company that focuses on urban mobility through cycling. Residents can expect to see 130 e-bikes on the streets by Dec. 1, said David Touwsma, co-founder of Today. That number, he added, will increase to 300 by the spring. “The uniqueness of this project lies in the fact that we provide something other than traditional…
Richmond isn’t a widely known birding destination. While some birders know it’s a thrilling place to explore, others are working to draw in people who don’t have much nature in their lives. For some, it’s even become a calling. Zaira Sierra, a birder, grew up in the Iron Triangle. As a child, she emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. and now brings visitors to observe hawks and other raptors in the Marin Headlands. “It’s really become a passion and a…
Standing on either side of the portable nets, pickleball players swing their paddles, creating a “pop-pop-pop” symphony at Booker T. Anderson Park, the only outdoor place to play pickleball in Richmond. Booker T. Anderson Park now features two permanent pickleball courts and four multi-use courts for both tennis and pickleball. Since there are not many parks near BTA for residents, especially seniors and children, to enjoy, both the city and the neighborhood council agreed that sharing the courts for different…
On a bright and sunny day last week in Nicholl Park, Ariana Martinez, 16, stood with her black hoodie pulled over her head as she and other participants in Richmond’s new youth outdoor program played rock, paper, scissors, laughing as they fumbled the timing. “I’m excited for her,” said Ariana’s mother, Jovita Andrade. “For her to be able to like, socialize and do more things outdoors. Because she tends to stay indoors and on her computer and stuff like that….
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: What is your favorite Richmond or Contra Costa County park, and why? “I spend most time at Wild Cat Canyon. Catch turtles, catch animals. ride my bike through the trail. I like it compared to many other parks in Richmond because at least that park has bears and wild lives. It actually…
Rich City Rides is racing to raise $6 million in the next four months to secure its future in Richmond and expand services. The bike group launched a campaign in March to purchase three properties, including the longtime home of its bike shop at 1500 Macdonald Ave. The organization has received $1.2 million in donations so far and has been offered a $3.3 million loan from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, according to founder Najari Smith. The purchases…