News

Richmond Shoreline Parks Make the News!
Those of us who are lucky enough to live in Marina Bay know how fortunate we are to have the many parks surrounding us. A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle highlighted the beauty and history of Marina Bay! Read the article at SFGate.com. You can download a trail map by clicking here.

New Year Report for the San Francisco Bay Trail Available!
Read the informative New Year Report for the San Francisco Bay Trail, prepared by TRAC, the Trails for Richmond Action Committee. Print and read both the inside and outside of the report to learn about:
Expansion and enrichment of the Bay Trail in Richmond last year including:

• completing 0.6 miles of new trail
• opening Boat Ramp Street shoreline access
• printing and distributing Marina Bay trail guides

Prospects for building up to six miles of new Bay Trail in 2008 due to planning and design work in 2007.
Richmond already has 24.9 miles of San Francisco Bay Trail built -- more than any other city on this planned 500-mile hiking and biking trail encircling San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. Enjoy the Bay Trail in Richmond, particularly the 4 miles around Marina Bay, the 4.75-mile Ferry Point Loop encircling Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline and phase 1 of the West County Landfill loop trail. The web sites below have maps and information about trailside recreational, natural and cultural attractions, and the new Marina Bay trail guide is available at City Hall as well as at Point Isabel Regional Shoreline. http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/ http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/TRAC http://www.explorerichmondca.com/baytrail.htm

Richmond Art Center Getting a Face-Lift!
The Richmond Art Center (RAC) will undergo a number of valuable enhancements, including: seismic retrofitting, outside window and door replacements, and a new door to the courtyard from the ceramics studio. As a result of this renovation, however, the Winter schedule is being adjusted to help accommodate the work taking place onsite. Please check the RAC website for more information.
For all who visit the Art Center: Please remember that you will see construction activity during normal weekday hours, and be prepared for the noise and added personnel. On-site parking continues to be available.

September News Update from the Richmond Police Department
Read the September issue of what is an occasional newsletter about department activities, programs, and other public safety issues. Some of the topics covered in this issue include:
The department's move
Dealing with the challenges of violence in the community
Our progress with hiring new officers
Crime mapping now available to the community.

Traffic Safety Concerns in Marina Bay
Due to concerns expressed over the past few months at the Marina Bay Neighborhood Council meetings about traffic speeds on Marina Bay Parkway, Richmond PD has assured us that we can expect to see an upswing in enforcement of the posted speed limit. Between the freeway and Regatta Blvd., the speed limit is 30 mph. Past Regatta Blvd. going toward Shimada Friendship Park, the limit slows to 25 mph.

Read the Informative Richmond Bay Trail Mid Year Report!
Print the report to read and learn about:
-New Marina Bay trail guides arriving in your mail boxes
-Completing the Ferry Point Loop encircling Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline
-Extending the Bay Trail from Lucretia Edwards Park along the Bay front of the Ford Assembly Building and up Harbour Way
-Designing three miles of new San Francisco Bay Trail at two locations
and MORE! For more information, checkout the Bay Trail website.

Signature Properties, developer of Anchor Cove town homes, and Richmond Sanitary Service, which serves all of our homes, have stepped up to print and distribute an attractive, informative guide to showcase the cultural, recreational and natural features along the five miles of San Francisco Bay Trail located in the Marina Bay area. For more information, please see http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/

Ecotourism on the Bay Trail in Richmond! Ecotourism has been the fastest growing segment of the global travel industry. The good news is that ecotourism is conveniently available and affordable right here in Richmond along the San Francisco Bay Trail in the form of bird watching, the fastest growing recreational activity in the nation.

The Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau is capitalizing on this trend by featuring birding along the Bay Trail on its web site. This is the best time of year to see birds due to the abundance of migratory wintering species in residence. You may download Audubon's new brochure listing 146 species of birds to be found along the Bay Trail between Marina Bay and Point Isabel Regional Shoreline by clicking here.

• completion of 2.2 miles of new trail
• creation of 33 interpretive and way finding exhibits
• launch of 2 new web sites
http://rcvb-ca.com/baytrail.htm
http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/

• development of a Marina Bay trail guide

The remaining challenge is closing 17 miles of gaps in Richmond's planned San Francisco Bay Trail. Please visit http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/ to download Richmond Bay Trail maps, get information about trailside recreational, natural and cultural attractions, including the new guide to the four miles of Bay Trail in the Marina Bay area, view the calendar of coming events and learn about filling gaps in the planned trail. To see TRAC's smiling Steering Committee sending you New Year greetings, see http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/about.htm .

Historic Ford Plant Featured in New York Times Article
A NY Times article featured the renovation of the historic Ford Plant in Marina Bay by Orton Development. A copy of the full story is available in pdf form.

City of Richmond Launches General Plan Website
The City of Richmond’s Planning Department announces the launch of its new General Plan website, designed to keep Richmond’s residents, employees and business community informed about the General Plan. The site can be accessed from the City of Richmond’s homepage or directly at www.cityofrichmondgeneralplan.org. For more information, contact Lori Reese-Brown at (510) 620-6869.