Volunteers From Ages 13 to 96 Clean Up Berkeley Paths
The 8 work parties that it took to clear the paths were led by Mary Lynch, who has organized weekday parties monthly since 2015, and former BPWA president Alina Constantinescu, who began leading weekend work parties this year.
BPWA welcomes Madeleine Kahn, our Fund Development Advisor
We asked Madeleine 3 questions to get to know her better and learn more about what she hopes to contribute on the BPWA board.
Path builders smooth the way on Oak Street Path
Our crack team of path builders has replaced old wooden steps on lower Oak Street Path with new steps that will smooth the way for walkers on the busy path north of the Rose Garden and Codornices Park.
Berkeley repairs three paths with T1 bond funds
With voter-approved bond funds, the Berkeley public works department has made substantial repairs to the cement steps on Visalia Walk, Tunbridge Lane, and Florida Walk in northeast Berkeley.
Path Wanderers and Young Artists Win Grant For a New Mural in West Berkeley
Berkeley Path Wanderers Association and Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA), a Berkeley-based organization that empowers underserved young people, teamed up to win a $3,000 grant to design and add a mural to an exciting public art project in West Berkeley. The money comes from Commotion West Berkeley, a group of merchants and residents dedicated to beautifying and promoting community engagement in the area west of San Pablo Avenue.
Charlie Bowen: Smoothing the way for new pedestrian paths
Charlie Bowen had no idea that a network of walking paths wound through the Berkeley hills until she went to her first Berkeley Path Wanderers Association meeting more than two decades ago.
Remembering Ruth Armstrong, A BPWA Co-Founder
Ruth Armstrong — artist, community activist, and Berkeley Path Wanderers co-founder — died on January 24 at age 71 in Cambria, California. Fellow co-founder Jacque Ensign credits Ruth with coming up with the idea for a group of like-minded citizens dedicated to the stewardship of the public paths and stairways in Berkeley.
A helper for Jacque
Mom is recovering and I would like to find someone to live in her home in the large sunny furnished apartment she has upstairs.
Meet Andrew Dickson, Path Builder
“He’s a gem!” enthused Francesca Verdier when I asked how she liked working with BPWA path-building volunteer Andrew Dickson, 23. “He’s a hard worker, listens well, and learns fast. And he’s always willing to haul building materials up many flights of steps!”
Walking safely in Berkeley
With the recent uptick in pedestrians and bikers being hit by cars, we’d like to remind everyone to be as safe as possible while walking in Berkeley. Drivers are more distracted than ever so walkers need to be proactively defensive pedestrians. This time of year with shorter hours of daylight presents additional risks.
3 questions for BPWA’s new board members: Bob, Tamara, Bob, Kathy, and Jen
As we roll into the new year, Berkeley Path Wanderers Association said goodbye to two board members, President Alina Constantinescu and Francesca Verdier, and welcomed 5 new members to our board: Bob Gomez, Bob Johnson, Jennifer Pellman, Kathy Moreno, and Tamara Gurin.
Support the Paths with a Yearend Gift!
Whether it’s by donating, volunteering on path maintenance days, or cheering us on social media, your support for the paths continues to sustain us. If you value the paths as a local source of inspiration and restoration during these times, I hope you will support our group’s work into the new year and beyond.
BPWA is now a Fire Safe Council
BPWA has been accorded the status of a Fire Safe Council. This status will increase awareness of the value of Berkeley’s paths, and it may also be a source of funding for developing them for safety and use.
After several spills, BPWA walks coordinator adopts Upton Lane
It took falling down twice on Upton Lane — once on wet leaves and another on dry — for John Ford to choose the path for adoption.
Introducing Hilgard Path
Berkeley Path Wanderers Association’s intrepid team of path builders is putting the finishing touches on Hilgard Path, a dirt path winding through oaks and redwoods in the North Berkeley Hills between two historic, landmarked homes.
Dedication of Jacque Ensign Way celebrates BPWA founders and history
The official opening of Jacque Ensign Way on September 19 also was a stroll down memory lane, a time to reminisce about the founding of Berkeley Path Wanderers Association and to marvel at what the organization has accomplished.
Shortcuts to safety: Zone 15 - Cragmont
In an emergency such as a wildfire or earthquake, it’s a good idea to know at least two ways to evacuate on foot in case there are accidents, traffic jams, or other road blockages that prevent you from getting out or using your vehicle.
Adding Handrails To Steep Paths: A BPWA Priority
Thanks to your generous donations, BPWA has been paying for handrails to be installed on some of the 35 or so new, wood-timber stairways that our volunteers have built since our organization began in 1998.
Take note! Karen Kemp returns to BPWA
Some 20 years after serving on the first Path Wanderers board, Karen Kemp has returned to help reboot the lovely notecards that she designed for us then, featuring her original watercolors of Berkeley paths.
Path Pal Barbara Robben: Paths runner, booster, and volunteer
Barbara Robben, 87, has been a path runner, booster, and volunteer for the more than half a century that she’s lived in Berkeley.