February News: Remembering a BPWA leader

February 2024

REMEMBERING A BPWA LEADER

In Memoriam: Steve Glaeser

We are sad to report that Steve Glaeser, a longtime member of our Berkeley Path Wanderers Association community, passed away in January at the age of 62. Glaeser started out as a path-building volunteer around 2005 and soon proved to be an extremely capable team leader, working on more than 20 paths.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEEKING BOARD MEMBER FOR DEVELOPMENT: Berkeley Path Wanderers Association has identified $5 million in needs to bring the Berkeley paths up to code with repairs and the installation of handrails, construction of new paths, clearance of encroachments, and lighting and wayfinding additions. Now we’re looking for a new board member to take the lead on elevating our fundraising efforts to help the city and paths community achieve this long-term goal. Board members serve two-year terms with the option to renew once. Our fun and engaged board meets about once monthly. Write to info@berkeleypaths.org to volunteer for Berkeley paths!

YES, WE SELL SWAG!

Our new map bandana features the 10th edition of our best-selling Berkeley and Its Pathways map, now in 4 colors. This stylish, 22-inch-square, 100% cotton bandana features Berkeley paths on the northeast and central side of town, from the Ohlone Greenway to the UC Berkeley campus fire trails and Panoramic Hill to Kensington, and everything in-between!

And Berkeley Paths bandanas can also double as great-looking table napkins! Each purchase helps our mission to maintain and build our treasured pathways, and purchase and install handrails.

Available now: $20 for 1, $90 for 5, or $175 for 10 bandanas

SHOP PATHS SWAG!

UPCOMING WALKS

Note: Heavy rain cancels; If rain is in the forecast, check the www.berkeleypaths.org website the day before to see if the walk is cancelled.

Berkeley Stairways

When: Saturday, February 10, 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Leader: Tamara Gurin

Distance: 3.5–4 miles; elevation gain of about 900 feet

Start/end: Berkeley Rose Garden

Fast-paced, strenuous walk will take us through multiple Berkeley stairways. We will climb steep stairways to the Grizzly Peak Boulevard and then down to Live Oak Park before returning to the Rose Garden. READ MORE

Rockridge to Claremont

When: Sunday, February 18, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Distance: 5 miles; elevation gain of 500 feet; shortcuts are possible as we try to keep the walk to 3 hours

Leader: Robert Johnson

Start/end: College Avenue and Shafter Avenue. We’ll meet at the plaza down below the main exit of Rockridge BART station, kitty corner from Market Hall. Accessible by BART and AC Transit. There should be minimal parking restrictions on a Sunday, but check the signs.

The walk will include 3-4 paths but the focus will be on architecture, bits of history, street trees and gardens and the creek that runs through it. Thus we will be walking at a moderate pace and stopping to point out the various features. READ MORE

PATH MAINTENANCE WORK PARTIES

Join us for a path maintenance work party!

Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Do you enjoy working with your hands and seeing tangible results of your efforts? Join us to clean up Berkeley’s paths, work that’s mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available, but feel free to bring your own. Please also bring your own water, as we won't be offering water or refreshments. Please RSVP to receive an email with the time, date, and meeting place by writing to Mary Lynch at path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.

HELP US KEEP THE PATHS SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE

In 2018, a cast of thousands — okay, about 80 volunteers — fanned out across Berkeley to walk every path and record its condition. BPWA collected the data into this status report. This “living document” was last revised in August 2022 to show more recent progress on path repairs and improvements. In the future, BPWA plans to conduct these all-paths surveys every five years.

But we can’t be “everything everywhere all at once.” We rely on you, our surrounding community, to let us know if you spot a problem that needs to be fixed right away. If you see something, say something! You can submit your own report of path conditions to path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.

Many thanks for being our eyes and ears!

Berkeley Path Wanderers Association

Berkeley Path Wanderers Association is a community organization of people who treasure the public pathways that crisscross our city. Learn more

The BPWA board generally meets monthly. Our next meeting is Thursday, February 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Guests are welcome! Please contact info@berkeleypaths.org for more information.

We always welcome new volunteers to lead walks on Berkeley’s paths. If interested, please contact Walks Co-Coordinators Tamara Gurin or Desmid Lyon at walks@berkeleypaths.org.

To support Berkeley's paths, you can donate online. All donations are tax-deductible and go toward building new paths, repairing and clearing paths, purchasing handrails, and advocating for paths and walkers.