New Era Described as EBRPD Tours the Albany Waterfront

An exciting new era is opening at the Albany waterfront.  The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is ready to commence a major program of investment in improvements  here.  Yesterday morning, park agency staff led board members (including  Whitney Dotson, whose district includes Albany) on an informative tour of the Albany Beach, the Neck that leads out to the Bulb, the Plateau, and the proposed Bay Trail link. 

The staff presenters explained that EBRPD will be spending about nine million dollars  to improve  these areas (which do NOT include the Bulb itself).   Funding sources include major state grants - from the Coastal Conservancy and from the Resource Agency’s Urban Greening program – as well as Measure WW, the 2008 regional bond measure for our parks. 

The park representatives described exciting projects:  the popular Bay Trail will get an important new section, the dune system will be improved and protected, bathrooms will be installed, parking will be added, and disability access will be improved.  

An interesting and unusual aspect of the project is that the eroding neck will be stabilized and its shoreline improved by the ‘shaving’ of the rubble where the water meets the land.  Rather than tearing out huge hunks of concrete, which could release landfill contents in the Bay, the project will cut the hunks, to create a smoother, more ‘natural’ appearing shoreline, while leaving the lower portions of the largest blocks in place.  In addition, improvements will be made to the substrate, below as well as above the waterline, to create ‘ecotones’ friendly to native aquatic flora and fauna. 

But wait, there’s more:  the beach will be raised and expanded to increase its resilience to climate change, averting its fate of becoming a steeper and narrower land form as the water level of the Bay rises.

So there are lots of improvements here – involving both cutting edge restoration and recreational improvements.  Not to mention that our waterfront will become an even more beautiful place, and some significant employment opportunities will be opened up for people in the region.    

As Patch readers are likely to know, both Golden Gate Fields and a group called SPRAWLDEF have challenged the adequacy of the environmental documents for the project.  EBRPD now plans to prepare a supplemental environmental impact report on the issues of concern, and the first phase of the project – the Neck improvements – will be allowed move forward.   Other improvements – including the Bay Trail, and the beach and parking improvements – may need to await the final outcome of litigation and/or the additional environmental documentation.   

But at least things are going to get rolling, as early as January 2015. 

What is the role in all of this for Albany?  It may be tempting to think we can just sit back and enjoy the benefits of all this work. . . but there is much we need to do as a community to help EBRPD build the momentum for this project, and to expand it out to the Bulb.  A crucial step – addressing the encampments – has been accomplished (and it was an unusual experience yesterday to hear Albany’s City Council and staff receive high praise from parks professionals for the City’s dedicated and skillful accomplishment of this goal). 

The next task on Albany’s municipal 'to-do list' is the development of a fleshed-out plan for the Bulb portion of the park and its associated right of way – planning that can move forward now that a grant for the work has been secured by the City from the California Coastal Conservancy.  

How can individual Albany residents help?  First and foremost, we can become engaged in the issue – walk the area, get informed about plans, attend meetings, offer comments.  Crucially, we all need to do this in a spirit of collaboration, with respect for differing points of view and a willingness to compromise among various interests, if we are to continue to build momentum for this work.