By Tasha Bartholomew, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
Saturday, January 21, 2006
SAN LEANDRO — Attention all San Leandro Marina users: The city needs your help.
In an effort to bring its waterfront back to life, the city will host a special shoreline trail community cleanup event from 8 a.m. to noon Feb. 4.
The trail suffered $1.8 million in damages as a result of the winter storms that hit over New Year's weekend. It will officially reopen Feb. 1.
The destruction prompted City Manager John Jermanis to declare a local state of emergency, and also forced the temporary closure of the trail from the Neptune Drive Bridge to the Heron Bay development turn-off.
The series of storms brought a combination of heavy rains, high winds, wave action and surge tides. As a result, flood waters spilled over the banks of the shoreline levees, dumping hundreds of tons of debris on the Bay Trail, marina parking lots, parcourse dike and marshlands, said Jane McCrea, the city's public information officer.
Although more than 120 tons of debris already have been removed by Public Works crews, tons of wreckage remain on either side of the levee.
Community volunteers will help clean up the refuse that now blankets the area. Participants will be provided with bags and plastic gloves, and Public Works will provide trash receptacles. Refreshments will be provided.
To volunteer or for more information, call the San Leandro Marina offices at (510) 297-5197 or (800) 559-7245.