Day: February 14, 2010

We Have Old But Loved Trestles Too

In Montclair Village, we have old trestles on Mountain Blvd that are rather unadorned.  They might be something you haven’t noticed much before, but are two concrete hulks lining the street as you head south from the Montclair School into the commercial district.

Some other places, like the City of Pinole, have decorated their train trestles in lovely ways.  Makes you start to put two and two together, right?

During an Oakland Heritage Alliance tour of Montclair, which we took last summer, the docent pointed out the old train route.  All the vestiges are pretty obvious when you look carefully.  Just check out the Pocket Park at the Moraga and Thornhill intersection, our now well-marked entry.  Or take a walk up Shepherd Canyon, which is now getting love from the Friends of Montclair Railroad Trail.

What’s been left behind are the huge concrete trestles on Mountain Blvd.  We have discovered interested parties who are beginning to ponder the possibilities – and I’m interested too!  There’s strength in numbers here, due to the aesthetic and cultural impact of filling these blank slates.  If you want to contemplate and help, then please reach them:  montclairtrestles@gmail.com.

Montclair Farmers Market and Mayoral Politics

This morning, various political causes were in full view at the Montclair Farmers Market.  It was the first time we saw a public display declaring “Jean Quan for Oakland Mayor 2010” on the street.  There was a volunteer at the adjacent table, and the all-important cinnamon loaves were luring us nearby.

Both Jean Quan and Don Perata have declared their mayoral candidacies online and you can keep up virtually for now.  They each have base camps:

  • Candidate Perata’s website is called “Believe in Oakland, Perata For Mayor 2010.”   Perata has posted his appearances, including the Laurel on February 27th.  The site also has a donations section, of course.  Over on Facebook you may join his group, which has 512 members, or friend him along with 254 others.
  • Candidate Quan’s website has been live for a while, and serves as a fund-raising channel.  You may also fan her through Facebook, which she seems to use actively – by posting appearances, messages, images and more.  Oh, and there are 254 fans as of this minute too.

We wonder how these online efforts will influence voters during 2010, who knows?  As the real campaigns get underway later this year, however, we suspect there will be evidence of live humans ready for their meet ‘n greets.