Mayor and City Councilmembers:
This is the weekly report for the week ending September 27th, 2013.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 1st beginning with the regular agenda at 6:30 PM.
- Richmond! Your Home Front for Business
The City of Richmond partnered with the Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau and the San Francisco Business Times to create a special advertising supplement to their September 13, 2013, publication: Richmond! Your Home Front for Business. This advertising supplement is designed to highlight the diverse, burgeoning industries that are recognizing Richmond as the best business option in the Bay Area.
Richmond’s strategic, central location, sensible real estate values, tax incentives and welcoming climate are all contributing factors to the city’s broad based business and industrial growth. And the city’s diverse neighborhoods, pristine marinas, recreational and cultural amenities, and more miles of shoreline than any other city in the Bay Area, make Richmond among the most unique communities in California.
You are invited to review a copy of Richmond! Your Home Front for Business on the City’s website at www.ci.richmond.ca.us to read about the Bay Area’s best kept secret and to see what’s causing a new energy in Richmond.
- Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project Update
The Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project involves the construction of a roadway underpass on Marina Bay Parkway between Meeker Avenue and Regatta Boulevard, and is intended to resolve long-standing access limitations to the Marina Bay Area caused by frequent train crossings. On September 3rd, Marina Bay Parkway was closed to traffic. This closure will remain in place for approximately 18 months.
This week, while utility relocation work continued, the first of three shipments of steel piles for the Deep Soil Mix (“DSM”) walls was prepared for installation and DSM construction continued. This work is one of the most time-critical operations for the project, and the community can expect DSM work to take place on most weekends during this phase of the project.
For the week of September 30th, crews will continue utility relocation work and DSM production. Certain segments of the DSM and bridge construction work will necessarily require closure of the railroad to train traffic. These closure windows, which are determined by the railroad companies, are for up to six individual weekends, and will necessitate 24 hour a day work shifts over those weekends.
The weekends are not anticipated to be consecutive. The tentative first weekend closure window is currently expected to be October 18th to 21st, but is subject to change. Please view the project website for updates.
For additional information and to be added to the project update contact list, please see the project website at www.moodyup.com. You can also follow the project on twitter: @moodyunderpass.
- Civic Center Noontime Concert Series
Community members can enjoy lunch in the Civic Center Plaza with special musical entertainment provided by The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. The first musical lunch hour was this past Wednesday, with entertainment provided by the Richmond Jazz Collective. The last melodic lunchtime is:
- West African Music & Dance Ensemble on Thursday, October 3rd at 12:30 PM
- Fall Exhibitions Open at the Richmond Art Center
This fall, the Richmond Art Center is featuring a new series of exhibitions, including “Bella: A 50-year survey of the work of Bella Feldman,” the first major survey of artist Bella Feldman’s 50-year career, and the first exhibition in which her various bodies of work will be shown together. Two galleries and a sculpture courtyard will showcase Feldman’s impressive steel sculptures, mixed-media collages and her latest explorations in large oil paintings.
Also on exhibit are “Formed and Fired: Clay & Glass,” a group exhibition of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California and “Inspiration: Richmond Art Center Faculty Show.” Exhibitions run from September 14th through November 15th; Tuesday through Saturday, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. More information can be found at: http://www.therac.org.
- Mobile Farmers’ Market in Richmond
The Freshest Cargo Mobile Farmers’ Market is a “farmers’ market on wheels” that provides neighborhood-based access to fresh, locally-grown produce in the Bay Area. Freshest Cargo now operates in several communities in Contra Costa County, and will initiate stop at several locations in Richmond on Wednesdays. The market accepts cash, EBT, Visa and Mastercard.
The following locations will be served on Wednesdays - click here for a map!
- 10:00 AM -11:30 AM | West Contra Costa YMCA • Maine Avenue at South 19th Street
- 12:00 PM -1:30 PM | North Richmond • Chesley Avenue at Fred Jackson Way
- 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Parchester Community • Williams Drive at Collins Avenue.
Fresh Approach will also provide 48 interactive nutrition education sessions at community-based organizations to promote purchasing local fruits and vegetables and the CalFresh nutrition assistance programs that will be accepted at the market.
This project is supported by a grant from the USDA through the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program. More information is available at: www.freshapproach.org.
- Belding Garcia Playground!
Saturday, October 26th, is Make a Difference Day, the largest day of national community service. On this day, volunteers around the nation will work in their communities to improve the lives of others. From 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on October 26th, the Richmond community is invited to join residents of the Belding Woods Neighborhood and community partners as they rebuild the Belding Garcia Playground located at 17th Street and Coalinga Avenue.
The new playground will provide children, ages 2 to 12, and families with a positive, safe, and fun environment. Additionally, the improved playground will enhance youths’ imagination around play, help develop friendships, and be the meeting place for cherished memories.
All skill levels and talents are welcome and no experience is necessary. There are a variety of opportunities for volunteers to make a positive impact. Volunteers are needed to assist with building playground equipment pieces, serving food, registering fellow volunteers, and leading activities for children.
Your time will help improve the lives of many in the Belding Woods Neighborhood. Register today to volunteer at http://beldinggarciaplayground.eventbrite.com/. For inquiries, please contact Alicia Nightengale at (510) 620-5460 or Bertha Romo at (510) 620-5535.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, October 26th!
- 2013 Community Survey Available to All Richmond Residents to Complete
If your household was not one of the 3,000 households selected to receive the survey, but you would like to provide feedback to the city, then now is your chance. The 2013 Richmond Community Survey can now be completed by ALL Richmond residents by accessing the links below.
• English: http://www.n-r-c.com/survey/richmond2013survey.htm
• Spanish: http://www.n-r-c.com/survey/richmond2013encuesta.htm
Feel free to contact LaShonda Wilson-White in the City Manager’s office at (510) 620-6828 with questions, comments, or to obtain a paper copy of the survey. Your input can help make the City of Richmond a better place to live, work and play. We currently have over 300 surveys submitted and we look forward to receiving your feedback!
Disabled Peoples Recreation Center
The Adult Morning Program (AMP) participants continue working in their Mapping Our Environment and Money Matters programs. The participants checked their monthly calendar to confirm where they were going for their Thursday excursion and determined the distance and the total time for the trip by using iPads and computers to retrieve their information. In addition to locating the restaurant they were going to, the Money Matters component enabled them to check the menu and calculate the cost for lunch and a tip. The excursion to Vallejo Olive Garden was proof of their skills being used well.
The AMP participants also practice social and communications skills throughout the week to help each of them develop and improve relationships with family and friends.
Therapeutic Interactive Recreation Program (TIRP) participants are continuing their Zumba classes and absolutely love it.
Senior Center
Participants of Alan & Rose’s Dance class enjoyed a special Moon Festival Tango Dance celebration on Friday, September 20th from 3:00PM to 6:00PM.
Facilities Maintenance: Carpenters installed a new kitchen counter at Fire Station 67.
Painters repaired walls at the building located at 1350 Kelsey Avenue, painted safety bollards at the Corporation Yard, painted safety striping at the Main Library, and began preparations for painting the Children’s Room at the Main Library.
Painting Preparation for the Children’s Room at the Library
In addition to maintaining 29 City-owned buildings, utility workers cleaned and waxed the gym floor at the Richmond Recreation Complex.
Richmond Recreation Complex Gym
Stationary Engineers completed the exterior restrooms at Shields Reid Community Center, serviced the water feature at the Civic Center, started the boilers at the Employment and Training building, performed flue analysis of the Library and Employment and Training buildings, and relocated the bulkhead at the Plunge for testing.
Cleaning of the Water Feature
Electricians repaired an irrigation circuit at the tennis courts along the Marina Bay Parkway, installed new wiring for South 47th and Carlson Boulevard, made repairs at Fire Station #68, and supported events at Braxton and Nevin Parks.
Installation of Wiring on Carlson Boulevard
Parks and Landscaping Division: This week crews continued with the Richmond Parkway landscape project in the Hilltop District, prepared Judge Carroll Park for an event, performed right-of-way maintenance on various sound walls, continued with the Bay Trail landscape project in the Marina, and prepared Wendell Park for the North and East Picnic.
The Tree Crew trimmed or cut down trees on Cutting Boulevard, South 16th Street, 4th Street, and Esmond Avenue, and at Rain Cloud Park, Lucas Park, and Tiller Park.
Streets Division: Crews grinded and paved Payne Drive from McGlothen Way to Jenkins Way, hauled grindings from previous paving jobs, and worked from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.
Paving on Payne Drive
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday through Friday in Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Coronado, Metro Richmore Village, Pullman, Cortez/Stege, Park Plaza, Laurel Park, City Center, Richmond Annex, Parkview, Panhandle Annex, and Eastshore neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines Crews fabricated 26 new signs, installed 12 new signs, installed 18 pavement markings, repaired 37 damaged signs, painted 363 feet of curbs, and responded to a knocked down sign.
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Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.
You can sign up to receive the City Manager’s weekly report and other information from the City of Richmond by visiting: www.ci.richmond.ca.us/list.aspx
Thank you,
LaShonda White
Management Analyst
City Manager’s Office
City of Richmond
(510) 620-6828 Direct Line
(510) 620-6543 Fax
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