Comments on: Thousands Play in the Streets as Oaklavia Transforms Downtown Oakland

By: mlyn

mlyn — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:53:05 +0000

With a route of this length and streets so broad, it might be nice to have bicycle rodeos/education at two locations instead of one. It’s hard to choose between events and people come at different times. There was a delightful Chinese traditional folk music group on Washington St that should be commended as well. It had to compete with loud dj music around the corner which would have been better placed closer to Broadway and 10th. On 7th St, it was anemic except for La Boriquena. As Jefferson Square Park is slated to include a dog park this year, next time, it might be advisable to invite dog-related organizations with free dog food samples and paraphernalia and water bowls. I was delighted at all the dog owners walking their dogs since the Oakland Parks Dept denies leashed dogs entry to Oakland parks.

As far as one poster stating she never saw a flyer or a poster, City Center does not allow posters, nor did Peet’s Coffee, nor did the Marriott Hotel . . . There were posters at Old Oakland merchants, and flyers in some restaurants, flyers left in BART . . . If you want it better advertised, join WOBO, which funded it, and had to curtail the original route in order to afford it. Then volunteer to pass out flyers.

By: Francesca Thomas

Francesca Thomas — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:01:20 +0000

I can’t believe I heard absolutely nothing regarding this event. I work in Downtown Oakland (12th & Broadway) so I am out and about in the area almost every day. I did not see one poster, one flyer, nothing on the news, nothing on the radio….would have loved to come out and support the event, but knew nothing of it. I became a fan of Oaklavia on FB and that is how I actually found out that this event had occurred

By: Oaktownjen

Oaktownjen — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:26:18 +0000

Let the mayor and the city council members know how much you loved Oaklavia! All other cities that have put on Ciclovias have had far more city involvement and financial support (though kaplan’s office did help advocate on WOBO’s behalf to bring down the police costs).

By: Drunk Engineer

Drunk Engineer — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:10:07 +0000

BRT (and bike lanes) along Telegraph is all but dead, now that Berkeley City Council voted against participating in the BRT project. To go ahead with a Sunday Streets event now on Telegraph would be a sick joke.

By: Peter Smith

Peter Smith — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:04:54 +0000

i’d like to see an event connecting all the cities along Telegraph and what will become the bus/BRT corridor — so people can take a few pictures and some day be able to reminisce about what it was like to be able to ride your bike in the East Bay.

By: CBrinkman

CBrinkman — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:23:21 +0000

It was a wonderful day over in Oakland. I love that the merchants see the benefit – kudos to the organizers. I’m sure that seeing everyone having so much fun made all the hard work worthwhile. As for the date conflicting with Pride, please remember how hard it is to find a summer weekend in the Bay Area that doesn’t conflict with something – most people have no idea how hard it is to schedule these programs. I think they did a great job.

Hey WOBO – Who do we e-mail in Oakland City Hall to say how great it was?

By: the greasybear

the greasybear — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:11:23 +0000

I do think Gay Pride across the bay pulled in otherwise-interested riders, but still–the first Oaklavia really showed Oakland’s promise. I’ll be back for any encore.