Friends celebrate opening of park

From garbage dumps that used to be found along much of the Bay shore to culverts that took creeks out of sight and out of use as wildlife habitat, local waterways haven't always gotten the respect they deserve. But attitudes are changing.

El Cerrito's newest park, Baxter Creek Gateway Park, will be officially dedicated at a celebration from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The dedication is a milestone for a site that came close to being sold for commercial development. That was what prompted Lisa Viani and Maryann Aberg to form the Friends of Baxter Creek in 1997.

Through the dedication of community members on both sides of the El Cerrito/Richmond border, the site is now a welcoming green expanse alongside the Ohlone Greenway between Conlon and Macdonald avenues.

Aberg said Saturday's celebration is a chance to "reflect with pride on a 10-year effort to save one of the last open spaces in the city."

"Instead of building a monument to consumerism at this site, the city courageously joined with residents to restore a neglected waterway and create a peaceful place for children and their families to enjoy. For generations to come, this park will symbolize the power of grass-roots efforts to transform El Cerrito into a sustainable, attractive and hospitable community."

The friends group, which also had support from the Richmond-based Watershed Project, applied for a California Coastal Conservancy grant in 2000 that allowed the city to buy the property and plan the park project. Park construction was funded by a state Water Resources Control Board grant and the city's Redevelopment Agency.

Along with the ribbon cutting and remarks, Saturday's ceremonies will feature live entertainment, children's activities, walking tours of the creek restoration and informational exhibits.

In keeping with Baxter Creek's grass-roots history, people who register to care for the creek and park will get free T-shirts. For details, call 510-215-4382.

TRICKLE-DOWN EDUCATION: Wildcat Creek, or at least the public portion of it within San Pablo's city limits, will be the focus Oct. 7, when the community is invited to take part in the 12th annual Wildcat Creek Cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon at Davis Park, 17th Street and Folsom Avenue.

"This is an event for the public to enjoy and get a sense of community involvement by helping protect the creek and helping the wildlife that lives around it and in it," said Jennie Sexton of the city's Public Works Department.

The city will provide volunteers with food, drink, gloves and trash bags, as well as T-shirts for the first 100 people.

The annual event is an outgrowth of a city-funded program to teach environmental education at Dover Elementary School, which included a "trash tally" at nearby Wildcat Creek that made students aware of the amount of garbage there and the consequences it had. That led to the start of the cleanup event, which extends from Davis Park to Rumrill Avenue and Church Lane.

Leading up to the event, the city contracts with the Berkeley-based Kids for the Bay program to educate at elementary schools in San Pablo and at Richmond High School.

Part of the goal of the cleanup and the outreach beforehand is to show that the relatively small section of waterway in Davis Park is part of a much bigger system, starting in the Berkeley hills and reaching the Bay in Richmond.

Unlike many creeks, Wildcat Creek is an almost entirely open waterway and home to a variety of wildlife, including steelhead trout. The educational program teaches that the health of any one portion of the creek is dependent on the health of the other portions, and in turn the Bay.

The cleanup is a joint project of the city, Kids for the Bay and the recycling division of the state Department of Conservation. To learn more, call 510-985-1602 or 510-215-3205.

DAY ON THE BAY: Continuing with the aquatic theme, Girl Scouts from Berkeley, Albany and El Cerrito have organized a family festival Saturday that celebrates San Francisco Bay.

Berkeley Amazing Bay Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shorebird Park and Adventure Playground at the Berkeley Marina. The event will feature environmentally themed art and crafts, games, storytelling, face and mural painting, water testing and conservation tips, as well as entertainment by Dan Chan the Magic Man and Don the Drummer.

Tickets are $5 advance or $7 on the day of event. Children younger than 5 get in free. Learn more at www.GirlScoutsSaveTheBay.org or call 510-562-8470, Ext. 170.

Call Chris Treadway at 510-262-2784, e-mail ctreadway@cctimes.com, or write to West County Times, 4301 Lakeside Drive, Richmond, CA 94806. Our fax is 510-262-2776.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/email/news/15618804.htm