Tag Archives: Newsletter

Word on the Street July 2012

Campaigns, Events, Newsletter archive, Volunteer opportunities
 July 16,  Job Openings Summer Events, and More!
 In This Newsletter:

AnchorBRT at Council meeting July 17

WOBO is an enthusiastic supporter of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), but we’re disappointed that the current proposal – from downtown Oakland to San Leandro on International Blvd. – abandons the long-promised bike lanes and pedestrian improvements on Telegraph Avenue. Join us to support BRT’s inclusion of long overdue bike lanes, crosswalks, and transit improvements in East Oakland at the City Council, while also asking our elected representatives to commit to funding the study of bike lanes on Telegraph Ave.

What: City Council Meeting on BRT
Where: Oakland City Hall
When: Tuesday, Jul 17, 5:30pm

AnchorBeer Revolution Meets Bike Revolution

Next Saturday, July 21, Oakland will be putting some underused roadway to great use for bikes – the City will be installing its first TWO on-street Bike Corrals! One will be installed in front of the Oakland Museum of California on Oak St. at 11th, so you can take in some art or history and then ride to the other one at Beer Revolution on 3rd St @ Broadway.

This is a great sign of Oakland’s readiness to use tried and true tools to improve conditions for cyclists. Taking advantage of small red zones or no parking zones is a great way to squeeze in much needed parking for 12-20 bikes in one shot. There’s another in the works for the Temescal, and long-standing discussions for Lakeshore.

Ask your local merchants to request one! It will be great for business, and great for the neighborhood. Got another location where we should be pursuing this? Let us know!

AnchorParklets & PARK(ing) Day Planning August 9

Thanks to great WOBO volunteers who parked it in the street to chat with Oakland residents over the first weekend in July at the Jack London Square Night Market and the annual Temescal Street Fair. And thanks to Brian Toy, you can view shots of our crew using new parklet outreach materials created by Jennifer Anderson.

In Temescal, there was palpable buzz for the upcoming 40th Street Parklet at Manifesto Bikes and Subrosa Coffee, but many passersby weren’t familiar with the parklet concept.

All the reason to continue gathering support and to gear up for PARK(ing) Day on September 21st, an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. It’s a day when local creativity will expand Oakland’s pedestrian landscape to new eyes!

Do you have a business in your neighborhood that you’d like to get involved for PARK(ing) Day on September 21st? Are you excited about supporting the many day-long parklets throughout Oakland that day? Ever crave a sand box outside of your work or to have a living room in the street? Help us plan to make a big splash:

What: PARK(ing) Day Planning Meeting
When: Thursday, August 9th at 6:30 PM
Where: WOBO 2nd floor conference room, 436 14th Street (@ Broadway)

AnchorMonthly BPAC meeting July 19

The City of Oakland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday July 19, from 5:30 – 7:30 at City Hall.  The general public is welcome. This month, get updates about the progress of the implementation of citywide biking wayfinding signs, the Central Estuary Area Plan, and much more. Third Thursdays, every month.  Same time, same place.

Click here for more info 

AnchorBikes 4 Life 5th Annual Peace Ride July 21

Love bikes, and non-violence?  Then Bikes 4 Life’s 5th Annual Peace Ride is for you!  WOBO will be riding in solidarity with Bikes 4 Life to show our support for safe streets in Oakland.

Get a taste of this amazing event.

The after-ride event is shaping up to be one of the biggest biking events of the year.

What: 5th Annual Peace Ride
Date: Saturday July 21 5:00pm
Starting point: 468 Perkins St. Lake Merrit Oakland

Click here for more info

AnchorPedalFest (end of August)

Another of Oakland’s major bike parties is happening on Saturday August 18 at Jack London Square, brought to you by the good folks at the East Bay Bicycle Coalition.  WOBO will be there, will you?

What: PedalFest
Where: Jack London Square
When: Saturday August 18, 11:00am – 8:00pm

Click here for more Info

AnchorWOBO Board Member Recruitment

WOBO is a volunteer-run organization guided by a group of dedicated board members. Currently the WOBO Board consists of a diverse group of urban planners, campaign and policy hawks, foundation leaders, public health advocates, and marketing and finance professionals.

We are always on the hunt for new energy, to broaden the circle of community leaders who will take WOBO to the next level. Time commitment is about 4 to 8 hours per month.

If you are interested in being a WOBO Board member, send us an email.

AnchorPosition Announcement: Membership & Outreach Fellow

Come work with us! WOBO is currently looking for a Membership and Outreach Fellow to join our team.

Responsibilities will include:

  • Coordinate and fulfill new membership requests and renewals
  • Manage the WOBO database (Salesforce)
  • Coordinate materials and collateral development and distribution
  • Provide assistance coordinating outreach at events
  • Maintain the online WOBO event calendar
  • Develop volunteer management system and coordinate volunteer trainings
  • Assess and coordinate volunteer needs for WOBO, working with WOBO Membership & Events Committee
  • Develop and coordinate communications calendar for WOBO projects, campaigns and appeals
  • Manage WOBO’s online outreach efforts, including WOBO’s website, Facebook, and Twitter
  • Perform general administrative duties such as responding to inquiries from members, partners, and vendors; processing mail; and managing supplies and marketing collateral.

Ideal applicants will possess the following:

  • Interest in Marketing/Membership/Outreach
  • Strong track record of coordinating team projects
  • Excellent oral communications skills
  • Strong multitasking ability require
  • Cheerful, friendly, upbeat outlook
  • Natural leadership qualities

Helpful:

  • Web/html experience
  • Graphics savvy (Adobe Creative Suite)
  • Perky (yet professional) Writing Style
  • Familiarity with biking and walking in Oakland
  • Commitment to building a sustainable and more livable Oakland
  • Experience with Salesforce

This is a part-time position with a monthly stipend. All interested applicants should send cover letters, resumes, and references to Mel Schultz.

AnchorWant to Intern with WOBO?

Gain valuable skills and advocacy experience while helping build a strong voice for pedestrians and cyclists in Oakland. This is an excellent opportunity for a person who’s interested in building sustainable cities and to gain valuable hands-on experience in the nonprofit field. Tasks may include assisting in and leading projects in member communications, managing the membership database, recruiting new members, tabling, managing volunteers, updating website and social media, and more.

This internship offers a flexible schedule within a preferred 12-hour/week, 6-month commitment. Send inquiries to Mel.

AnchorUpcoming Events

July 17: Oakland City Council meeting on BRT

July 19: The City of Oakland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting

July 21: Bike 4 Life

August 9: WOBO Planning Meeting for PARK(ing) Day

August 18: PedalFest

September 21: PARK(ing) Day

AnchorGet Involved With WOBO

WOBO is always looking for more folks to get involved with our volunteer-powered projects! Here’s how you can help:

Word on the Street June 2012

Newsletter archive
 June 20, 2012  BRT, Broadway Valdez and More!
 In This Newsletter:

AnchorWe Want BRT – And We Want Bike Lanes On Telegraph Too!

Do you want bus rapid transit? Do you want Telegraph Avenue to be a safer place to bike and walk? So do we, and we have an opportunity right now to make both happen. Please mark these two important dates in your calendar: July 10 and July 17, both at 10:30 am at City Hall.

At these two meetings, we will ask the City to support the current BRT proposal — from downtown Oakland to San Leandro, shorter than originally planned — and we’ll demand that the City find another way to deliver the bike and pedestrian improvements on Telegraph that were supposed to have happened as part of the BRT project, but are now in limbo due to the shorter BRT route.

More details to come — or contact autumn@wobo.org to learn more.

AnchorHelp Spread The Parklets Love At The Temescal Street Fair On July 8!

With final permitting in the works for pilot Parklets on 40th Street and Alcatraz Avenue, Oakland is on track to complete its first Parklets this summer. While WOBO fans may be in the know, many Oaklanders still don’t know how awesome Parklets are! That’s why WOBO’s Parklets campaign is tabling at the Temescal Street Fair on Sunday, July 8 from 12-6 pm.

Can you help? Sign up here

Can’t make it but would still like to get involved with Parklets? We’ll be having a Parklets meeting later this month (TBD) and would love your help planning Park(ING) Day in September, conducting phase 2 of the Parklets Impact Survey, and gearing up for a Parklets ordinance later this year. Contact Shannon for more info.

AnchorBroadway Valdez Meeting Recap

Thank you to the 80 people who attended Catalyzing Change: Revitalizing the Broadway Valdez District in a Post-Redevelopment Era, a panel discussion on Monday, June 11, hosted by the Better Broadway Coalition.

Panelists including Fred Blackwell, Vien Truong, Andreas Cluver, and Alexander Quinn discussed bold yet realistic opportunities for reinventing the district within our current constraints. Thanks also to Mayor Jean Quan and Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan for welcoming the crowd and being a part of the dialogue. WOBO is one of 13 organizations that joined together in the Coalition because we want to see bike-friendly and pedestrian-oriented reuse and revitalization of the Broadway-Valdez district, just north of downtown Oakland.

For more information on how to get involved in WOBO’s work in promoting a more livable Broadway, contact Marla. Information on the Broadway Valdez District Specific Plan found here.

AnchorOUP Walk On Second Saturday Of July Plus Free Walks Throughout Summer

Oakland Urban Paths is a group of dedicated walkers, planners, historians and fundraisers with a common mission: to raise awareness of the paths and Oakland’s heritage through a variety of activities in partnership with Walk Oakland Bike Oakland and the City of Oakland.

The second Saturday of July walk with OUP will feature a walk through the old rail right of way in the Montclair neighborhood and on some of the only public wooden staircases in all of Oakland. The walk begins at 10 am, Saturday July 14 at Montclair Stairs (starting point TBD)

Contact Christopher for more information.

More (Mostly) Free Walks Throughout Summer

Ever feel like cyclists get all the attention and the walkers among us get short shrift?  Well, here are lots of other ways to get your daily constitutional and learn a little something about your city to boot.

Sierra Club (free) 

Jul 14 · Sat · 11:00 am

Art Deco Oakland 2A Hike. An urban walk featuring architecture and history of downtown Oakland. Leisurely pace, but walk takes all afternoon, ending about 5:30 pm near Twelfth Street BART Station. Post-walk dinner at local restaurant. Cancellation: Any rain cancels. Bring: Lunch (no good place to buy lunch); $1.75 for return to museum by BART; and money for post-walk dinner. Meet: 11 am at Tenth and Fallon entry to Oakland Museum next to nursing bear statue (one block from Lake Merritt BART Station). Very little all day street parking available, and museum garage is not open late enough for return after dinner, so use of BART is recommended. Leader: Guy Mayes, (510) 522-1590.

Click here for more information.

Oakland Walking Tours (free)

Schedule: Tours are offered Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 am. Reservations are recommended but not required.

Choose from one of eight tour itineraries. To learn more about a particular tour, review the information below. Following each itinerary description are the dates the tour will be offered. The tour schedule is also available by month.

Click here for more information.

Oakland Heritage Alliance (cost $15)

On Saturdays and Sundays throughout the months of July and August, our Walking Tours Program provides an intriguing combination of outdoor exercise and education about our city’s unique architectural, historic and cultural heritage. By hosting these tours, OHA hopes to help develop a sense of place among the citizens of Oakland that encourages a feeling of community accross neighborhoods and social groups. The tours are two-hour walks lead by knowledgable guides, and range from very easy to moderately challenging.

Click here for more information.

Mountain View Cemetery (free)

Second and Fourth Saturday of every month. All tours start at 10:00 am.

Click here for more information.

Oakland Pathway Volunteers ($2, kids free)

June 17, 10:30 am Noble Cafe 100 Grand Avenue, Suite 111, Oakland, CA

Walk to Whole Foods where people may use it’s large restrooms & buy drinks and/or a sack lunch. Then we walk to our lunch spot, the Oakland Morcom Rose Garden, arriving about 11:50 am. After lunch we will walk to nearby Piedmont. We will also visit Piedmont Park as there is a grocery store and restrooms there. We expect to return to our starting point at 3:45 pm.

Click here for more information.

Art Deco Society ($10)

June 24; 10:00 am — 90 minute walking tour of the Art Deco commercial buildings in Oakland’s Uptown District. Free for current ADSC members; $10 non-members. No hills on this tour. Reservations not necessary, but you may confirm with tour guide Marc Kagan, 510-590-2733.

Click here for more information.

AnchorComplete Streets To Be Discussed At The June BPAC Meeting

The Oakland Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee will hold its next meeting on Thursday, June 21. Come to hear the City’s plans to update its Municipal Code to integrate “Complete Streets” concepts into planning and engineering designs that promote best practices in accommodating all users of roadways, whether you walk, bike, use a wheelchair, or drive.

The full agenda is available here.

What: June BPAC Meeting
When: Thursday, June 21, 5:30-7:30 pm
Where: Oakland City Hall, Sgt Daniel Sakai Hearing Room (aka Hearing Room 4), Second Floor.

AnchorGet Involved With WOBO

WOBO is always looking for more folks to get involved with our volunteer-powered projects! Here’s how you can help:

Word on the Street May 2012

Newsletter archive
 May 29, 2012  Big Win for Oakland Bikeways
 In This Newsletter:

AnchorBike Lanes on Broadway: Approved! 

Since WOBO began pushing for the completion of Oakland’s bicycle master plan in 2007, Bike Broadway & East 12th Street have been priorities for safe, dedicated, and connected bicycle access routes. These routes will combine to offer a continuous bikeway of nearly 10 miles from Lake Temescal to the Fruitvale, and ultimately to the Bancroft bike lanes.

This week, the City Council approved two critical chunks of this corridor! These key stretches are Broadway from College to 40th St., and East 12th St. from 14th Ave. to Fruitvale Ave. This huge victory for WOBO’s members and Oakland cyclists is long overdue, and WOBO’s hard work with local merchants (80), neighborhood groups, hundreds of residents, and you – our volunteers and members – made it happen.

With this victory in the books, coming on the heels of the Franklin/Webster striping in December 2011 now is the time to build on our success. With bike lane approval coming for 10th Street, we are getting closer to our vision of continuous and connected routes across all of Oakland. To keep the momentum going, we need you to step up and help out.  WOBO’s bikeways campaign is just getting started.  Projects for key streets like 10th St., Telegraph Ave., 14th St. in West and Downtown Oakland need your support if they are going to happen. The city is gearing up, and we think there’s a great chance to accelerate project delivery!

AnchorGet Ready for a WOBO Summer

We’re dusting off our sandals and lining up the SPF for a summer season of walking and biking events. Interested in a picnic with other friendly WOBO fans? How about a leisurely ride on some of the newest segments of bikeways to an outdoor movie night? WOBO likes to mix in the parties with the planning, so keep an eye out for upcoming events.

Have your own ideas for walking/bicycling fun? Let us know

We’re always on the lookout for fresh ideas, and could use some help organizing and getting the word out about these fun summer activities.

AnchorVolunteer Open House

Itching to get involved? Come and learn about each of WOBO’s active campaigns and working committees, and see how you can be a part of bringing the vision of a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly Oakland to life. Light refreshments provided (yum!). Free secure bike parking in the basement of the building (yay!), or just a short walk from City Center BART.

Join us on Thursday June 14, from 6:00pm – 7:30pm, at 436 14th Street, Oakland – Second Floor Conference Room.

AnchorGot Mad Google Apps Skills? WOBO Needs Your Help

Not so sure about community organizing but willing to support WOBO with your computer skills?  WOBO is looking for an uber-techie volunteer to migrate all of our working documents into Google Apps.  Two to four hours commitment.  If you are interested, let us know.

AnchorMark Your Calendar

WOBO volunteer open house: Thursday, June 14 6pm – 7:30pm, 436 14th St., Oakland – Second Floor Conference Room

Next Campaigns & Policy meeting: Tuesday, June 5, 6-8 pm @ WOBO conference room (standing 1st Tuesday)

You can also check out our events calendar to find out what’s coming up!

AnchorWant to Get More Involved with WOBO? 

WOBO is always looking for more folks to get involved with our volunteer-powered projects! Here’s how you can help:

Word on the Street April 2012

Newsletter archive
  April 18, 2012  Gearing up for Bike to Work Day
 In This Issue:

This week’s SF Bay Guardian poses the question: “Is Oakland Cooler Than San Francisco?” While we don’t think there’s anything wrong with the “West Bay,” if they’re going to ask, we’ll answer.  YES!

We love Oakland and we thank you for supporting WOBO in making our city even better by improving walking and biking in our neighborhoods.

If you haven’t already, become a WOBO member today! Your donation will help make Oakland a better place to bike and walk.

AnchorWork It with WOBO! Bike to Work Day 2012

It’s that special time of year again. We are getting into gear (pun fully intended) for Bike to Work Day 2012, on Thursday, May 10. This year, WOBO will be hosting energizer stations at 27th & Broadway and Alcatraz & San Pablo, as well as a table downtown in Frank Ogawa Plaza.Cruise by any of our tables between 7-9am, each with its own fun theme, to snag your free tote of goodies, join WOBO, and chat with us about our biggest priorities in 2012. Then join the party in Frank Ogawa Plaza, where there will be a pancake breakfast. On your bike ride home after work, meet us for a free street party in Old Oakland with our good friends at the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, from 5:00-8:30pm, at 9th & Washington Street.

Interested in volunteering on Bike to Work Day? Join us for a volunteer info meeting on April 26 and sign-up to volunteer. You can also email jesse@wobo.org for more information.

AnchorPreview Parklet Pops Up in Uptown

Who says Marathons are just for runners? At the March 24th Oakland Running Fest, Farley’s East and WOBO volunteers showed that pedestrians have places to race towards as well. We set up a one-space Parklet for a day in front of Farley’s East in Uptown to engage neighbors about the planned Oakland Parklet sites.  Check out photos on our Flickr page and keep your eyes peeled, another temporary Parklet may pop up at a parklet host near you!

If you’d like to ensure the success of the seven pilot Parklets, please contact Shannon Tracey at shannon@wobo.org or come to our next volunteer meeting on Tuesday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.

AnchorMay 8: Speak Up for New Bike Lanes on Broadway 

Proposed bike lanes on East 12th St (14th Ave to Fruitvale) and Broadway (College to 40th St) will be considered by the Oakland Public Works committee on May 8th! WOBO members like you have been working for years to get these projects built, and they are cornerstones of our Bikeways campaign. Once these new bike lanes are installed, along with planned lanes on 10th St, Oaklanders will be able to ride from College & Broadway all the way to Fruitvale BART on a mostly complete bike route! Thanks for your help in getting us to this point. But we are not finished! We have to seal the deal on May 8 to ensure the Broadway and E 12th lanes are approved — and then get the next round of priority projects rolling.  Help make Oakland THE bicycle lovin’ city we know it can be.

Contact liza@wobo.org if you want to get involved and help move us forward on our bikeways campaign!

AnchorSustainable, Affordable Neighborhoods Bike Tour

Learn about Oakland’s affordable housing by bicycle!  This leisurely 12-mile ride will include highlights such as :

  • Reuse of a former industrial site for live-work lofts for small business owners
  • The result of a 5-year organizing effort to include housing affordable to lower-income workers in Uptown
  • An old YMCA building providing supportive housing for formerly homeless adults
  • The city’s earliest public housing renovated for the 21st century
  • Green building, child care, clinics, neighborhood-serving retail, and much more!

All within elegantly and creatively designed buildings integrated into neighborhoods throughout the city, providing safe, service-enriched, affordable homes for low income seniors, families, and residents with special needs. The route is mostly flat, and mostly avoids major roads with car traffic. Please wear a helmet and bring water. Tour will include 2 stops for tours and snacks. Plan for 3 hours. Ride ends at Fox Courts in Uptown.

When: Sunday, May 20; 10 AM – 1 PM
Where: Meet up at Oakland Museum entrance, 1000 Oak Street
Contact: gloria@ebho.org to RSVP.

Sponsored by East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO) and WOBO as part of Affordable Housing Week.

AnchorEast Bay Bus Rapid Transit: Critical Vote on April 25

This is it! If you want BRT in Oakland – along with all the bicycle and pedestrian improvements it will provide – this is going to be the single most important opportunity for you say so. The opposition to BRT is still fierce, so don’t assume that this will pass without your help! Your attendance, and your voice will be critical in the outcome of this vote. For more information on BRT, please visit TransForm’s website.

AnchorTech-savvy and Word-smithy Volunteers Needed

Do You Google (App)? WOBO is officially grooving with Google to support our business and operations. We’re looking for someone to help migrate our various applications over to Google Apps ASAP. Please contact info@wobo.org.

Are you a newsletter guru? If you’re loving the monthly updates, or you have ideas for making WOBO newsletters better than ever, join our Newsletter team!  We’re looking for someone with copy editing skills, digging your heels in for 2 to 3 hours each month to gather content and copyedit.  Are you “The One?”  Let us know right away!  info@wobo.org.

AnchorWant to Get More Involved With WOBO? 

WOBO is always looking for more folks to get involved with our volunteer-powered projects! Here’s how you can help: