City Of Berkeley News - November 10, 2022

Government and Politics

November 12, 2022

News from the City of Berkeley

Ollies, air, and flips: help design a skate area where beginners learn to grind

Use a survey to help design new features, obstacles, and elements for a new skate spot for beginners at James Kenney Park. Survey closes November 16.

Let us know which skateboarding features – ramps, rails, stairs, ledges, or something else – would be best for beginners at a new West Berkeley skate area.

Even though we’re looking to design this James Kenney Park skate area as a place for grommets and other newbies, drop in your comments even if you’re a pro.

Should it have a quarterpipe or a roll-in? How about a flat rail or a deck? What other features make for a fun skate area – like seating, shade, or choice of materials?

Let us know by completing a short online survey by November 16th.

Improving James Kenney, improving skater life

The beginner-focused James Kenney skate area, which would use an underused area of the park, strengthens a full spectrum of skate experience at Berkeley parks.

MLK Jr. Civic Center Park is geared toward more intermediate skaters. Harrison Park’s large oval bowl, fun box, and other features attract more veteran thrashers, but there’s also a beginner area.

The planned skate area, which would maintain existing park features, would also be the latest in a series of improvements since 2017, including a replaced picnic area and playground, renovated community center, upgraded basketball and tennis court surfaces, and new trees.

To get updates on this planning phase and beyond, email the project team with the subject line: “Please add me to the James Kenney Park – Potential Skate Spot Park Improvements email list.”

Share the skate spot survey with your friends and help us create a haven for the next generation of Berkeley skaters.

Links

- Skate survey for James Kenney Park

- James Kenney Park Skate Spot

City of Berkeley Skate areas:

- Harrison Park Skate Park

- Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park

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Berkeley Half Marathon on Nov. 13: Street closures, bus route info

Your route through Berkeley may be changed during the Berkeley Half Marathon on November 13, when certain streets will be closed, and bus routes changed to make way for the thousands of runners winding their way through our city.

Move your vehicles off the affected streets well before the closure time, take note of parking restrictions, and make plans to use alternate routes during the affected times, which vary depending on the street and route.

To minimize impact, most affected streets will be closed and opened as runners move through on race day. The Berkeley Police Department and event personnel will be monitoring the course during these times.

Read more at berkeleyca.gov.

Apply by Nov. 29 for seismic retrofit grants

Income-qualified households can get reimbursed for the full cost of a seismic upgrade to their home, while others can qualify for up to $3,000 for making their foundations more resilient to earthquakes.

To qualify for a lottery to get these refunds, Berkeley homeowners should sign up for the state's Earthquake Brace + Bolt rebate program by November 29. Those households with annual incomes below $72,080 can qualify for up to 100 percent of the seismic retrofit cost.

Apply online for Earthquake Brace + Bolt
Phone: (877) 232-4300
Eligibility: owner-occupied single-family residences and small multifamily buildings (1-4 units) in Berkeley and other eligible zip codes

Bracing and bolting have a big impact in a community like Berkeley, where older homes may not have the seismic protections required of newer construction.

Read more at berkeleyca.gov.

City run vaccine clinics

November 12 and November 19

6 months+ Pfizer primary and Pfizer bivalent boosters
Rosa Parks Elementary School, 920 Allston Way
Clinic hours 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Registration and appointment link

See more planned vaccine clinics.

More news from the City of Berkeley

Paid visitor parking adds another way to travel to certain Southside blocks, October 13, 2022

Berkeley seniors have more options for classes, services, and social opportunities, September 20, 2022

Learn about discounted rooftop solar and battery storage for homeowners, September 9, 2022

We're hiring! Featured jobs:

Assistant to the City Manager, closes November 14, 2022

Aquatics Coordinator, closes November 14, 2022

Building Maintenance Mechanic, closes November 14, 2022

Mini Bus Driver, closes November 14, 2022

Principal Program Manager, closes November 28, 2022

See all open positions or learn more at berkeleyca.gov/jobs.