City Manager's Update - July 28, 2023

City Manager's Update / July 28, 2023

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our July 4th/worldOne Festival earlier this month! It was a fantastic event on a beautiful day and I was thrilled to be able to talk to so many community members and visitors. Many thanks to our sponsors and donors who helped make the Festival happen. And of course I must give a huge shout out to all of our City staff team, especially our Recreation and Public Works Departments, for putting it all together and making it our best event yet!

The fun continues as our next big community event is National Night Out, which takes place Tuesday, August 1, at more than 30 block parties around the City. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the event with over 38 million people across the country expected to participate, and El Cerrito is happy to once again be a part of it. National Night Out is one of my favorite nights every year, and I want to take this opportunity to encourage residents to attend a block party to meet their neighbors and connect with our Police Department, our First Responders, and other City officials that will be visiting the parties. Community connections are part of what make El Cerrito such a vibrant place to live and make our neighborhoods healthy and resilient. I'm looking forward to seeing you around the City!

This month, I’m also pleased to introduce Crystal Reams to the community, who began as the City’s new Finance Director/City Treasurer on July 17. Crystal Reams is an experienced finance professional with over 17 years in governmental and nonprofit accounting and financial reporting experience and we’re more than excited to have her overseeing the Finance Department. (Read more about Crystal on the City’s website). Among other initiatives, in the coming months Crystal and I will be working, in coordination with the Financial Advisory Board, on developing options for City Council consideration relating to pre-funding pension costs and reviewing the policies surrounding the General Fund Reserve and how to handle annual budget surpluses. We’re eager and excited to move those discussions forward.

Work is also continuing in many other areas, including on developing a new City of El Cerrito Strategic Plan (with a public workshop tentatively scheduled for October), collecting input from the community on their priorities for a new El Cerrito Library, updating the City’s Housing Element and Climate Action Plan, and much more. Community members can read more about many of these efforts in this update...or discuss them with our team during National Night Out!

As always, please take care of yourselves and each other.

Karen Pinkos

City Manager

City of El Cerrito

CITY MANAGEMENT

El Cerrito Library Priorities Survey

Built in 1948, the El Cerrito Library is outdated and bursting at the seams. When school gets out, the El Cerrito Library is packed with school children. Space is limited for books, programs, and people. The current Library space also does not meet the earthquake or health and safety standards for libraries built today. The El Cerrito Library is simply overcrowded, and too small for what our community needs.

The City of El Cerrito is considering a ballot measure for a new library that could provide updated facilities and space for:

More after-school programs for youth and children
An expanded collection
Additional seating and public computers
Group study areas and community meeting rooms
Summer reading programs for school age children
Expanded library hours
Literacy tutoring programs
Free family programs, activities, and classes
Improved access for seniors and disabled residents
Enhanced children’s programs and book budgets
And, a homework center for students

– all of which are important. This measure would also build a new library that meets current health, safety, and seismic standards including providing cooling, warming, and charging centers during extreme weather events for residents to use for years to come.

Any measure would be budget stable and will continue the high standards in El Cerrito for fiscal accountability and transparency by requiring that any money generated must be spent only on library priorities, and not for any other purpose. None of the money raised by the measure would be used for City administrator salaries. The measure would require independent citizen oversight, mandatory financial audits, and yearly reports to the community to ensure all the funds are spent as promised.

Tell us what you think! What are your priorities for a new library space? Visit the website to take a short survey at

el-cerrito.org/library.

New Financial Transparency Dashboard

Shortly following the adoption of the City’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Budget and release of a new “Digital Budget Book”, the City launched a Financial Transparency Dashboard, now available at:

www.el-cerrito.org/transparency. The new tool provides all members of the community with access to interactive data tools that provide detailed data on expenditures and revenues since 2019, including budgeted and actual amounts, down to the account-level. Explore the City’s financial data using this new tool! For more information, please contact Assistant to the City Manager, Will Provost, at wprovost@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

City Hall Gallery Space Exhibition

July 17 through December 15, 2023

Steve Zwetsch was selected by the Arts and Culture Commission as the El Cerrito Creative ReUse (ECCRU) Artist in Residence for 2022. In August 2022, ACC voted unanimously to extend his term for another year. During his ECCRU residency, Zwetsch created guitars and ukuleles using materials found at the El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center (RERC), and conducted workshops and other educational programs. From July 17 through December 15, 2023, the City Hall Gallery Space exhibits the instruments he created including "Local Artist Guitar Series", which he created with the collaboration of other local artists during his residency. Come meet the artist at the reception on Friday, August 25 between 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the City Hall Gallery Space, 10890 San Pablo Ave. 2nd floor. For more information on the ECCRU program, visit: https://www.el-cerrito.org/ECCRU

CITY CLERK

Current Vacancies on Boards, Commissions & Committees

The City Clerk’s office is currently seeking interested applicants for several vacancies including Arts and Culture Commission, Crime Prevention Committee, Financial Advisory Board, Human Relations Commission, Park and Recreation Commission, and Urban Forest Committee. A full list of current vacancies is available online.

Vacancies arise when a current member of an Advisory Body resigns, no longer meets the requirements to serve, or when sufficient applications are not received to fill term expirations. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and will be held for one year for consideration if no vacancies exist at the time the application is received.

For more information, please contact the City Clerk at cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or 510-215-4371

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Building Division – Fiscal Year 2022-23 Summary

In the 2022-23 Fiscal Year, 1,271 building permits were issued, 64 of which were ADU permits; 1,024 permits were “finaled” (e.g., closed out) and 1,562 new permit applications were received. In February of 2023 the Building Division began a process mapping evaluation, resulting in new procedures and a significant improvement in service delivery. The current turnaround time for first round plan review comments is 10-15 business days, and our response time for emails is down to 2 business days.

The Division was just as busy on the other side of the counter, and out in the field as well. The Building Inspectors performed a total of 7,097 inspections, for an average of 28 inspections per day, not including any emergency call-out due to weather events like the high winds that we experienced. Over the Counter permits are available virtually through the eTRAKiT system. Please note that City Hall in-person counter hours are Monday, Wednesday, and alternate Fridays from 8-4, and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-6.

Please visit www.el-cerrito.org/building for more information on the Building Division.

Neighborhood Preservation

(Code Enforcement/Rental Housing)

Steven Mello, our City’s Neighborhood Preservation Officer, closed 111 code enforcement cases last fiscal year and opened 136 new ones, the majority of them being health and safety, e.g., weeds, trash, blight, and debris. In addition to Code Enforcement, Steven oversees the Residential Rental Inspection Program. For Fiscal Year 2022-23, 136 initial inspections and 86 re-inspections were conducted. Please visit www.el-cerrito.org/rriprogram for more information on the program.

RFQ for On-Call Services

On Friday, July 14, 2023, the Community Development Department released a Request for Qualifications for On-Call Building, Planning, Fire (Plan Review and Inspection), Engineering, and Consulting Services with the hope of selecting up to five (5) qualified persons or firms to enter contract with. After submissions are received, and interviews are complete, staff anticipates going to City Council with a recommended award in September. The RFQ can be found on the City BIDS/RFP’s page. Please contact community@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us with any questions about this RFQ.

El Cerrito Housing Element Update

In 2022, the City kicked off the Housing Element Update for the 2023 to 2031 planning period through various community meetings/workshops. The Housing Element is the policy tool that local governments use to plan for safe, accessible, and diverse housing to offer a mix of housing opportunities for a variety of household incomes. During this eight-year planning period, the State determined that El Cerrito is tasked with providing 1,391 new housing units (526 of which must be affordable to low- and very low- income households). The Housing Element provides goals, policies, and implementation actions to improve future housing opportunities. The public draft of the revised Housing Element was first circulated for public comments for 30 days in July/August 2022. The City Council reviewed the document in public meetings in 2022. Each subsequent revision to the document was posted on the City’s website for a minimum of 7 days prior to submittal to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), as required.

In July 2023, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) met with City staff to provide preliminary responses to the City’s Second Revised Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element submitted on June 15, 2023. In consideration of HCD’s feedback, the City and consultant prepared the following 2023-2031 Housing Element Update Errata Sheet to address revisions in the Second Revised Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element . Members of the community were invited to provide comments/feedback during the 7-day public review period between July 19, 2023 – July 26, 2023. On July 27, 2023, HCD granted conditional approval to El Cerrito's draft Housing Element, acknowledging that the draft Element meets all statutory requirements.

Community members were also invited to attend the Special Planning Commission meeting on July 27 at 7:30 pm, where the Commission made a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the Housing Element. The City Council will consider adopting the Housing Element on August 15, 2023, at 6pm.

For more information, please visit our website

www.el-cerrito.org/housingelement2023 .

Annual Business License Renewals and Rent Registry

In June 2023, City staff mailed a total of 2,167 business license renewal notices. As of July 21, 2023, 1,291 renewals have been processed. July 31 is the deadline to renew without penalty and businesses are encouraged to complete the process online at https://www.el-cerrito.org/BusinessLicenses. Businesses who fail to maintain an active license will be referred to citation processing for collections. If you need direct assistance, please reach out at BusinessLicense@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or 510-215-4314.

In addition, owners of rental properties are required to register or renew their residential rental property data through the City’s online portal by July 31, 2023, during the annual business license renewal process. The annual fee is $43.00 per unit for the reporting period of July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. Step-by-step instructions are available at www.el-cerrito.org/rentregistryguide to guide property owners/managers through the registration process. For additional information, please visit our website at www.el-cerrito.org/rentregistry or send a message to housing@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. Data on the rent registry will be presented to the City Council in Fall 2023.

Affordable Housing Waitlist and Workshops

Visit the July 2023 Affordable Housing Opportunities – to view current openings throughout the Bay Area (Courtesy of Openhouse)

Welcome to El Cerrito!

Guru Curry House, located at 10350 San Pablo Avenue, is open for business. El Cerrito is Guru’s second location as they expand their first restaurant in Oakland. Their menu will include both Indian and Tibetan cuisine.

Freddie’s Shop, located at 7523-A Fairmount Avenue, is the newest addition in the Upper Fairmount neighborhood. Owner and local, Jon Amolo, is curating a retail space that offers lifestyle goods – both vintage and consignment. Stay tuned for their official grand opening sometime in August.

Stop by and welcome our newest businesses/neighbors!

Take the Caltrans Bike Plan Survey

Caltrans Bay Area (District 4) is updating their 2018 Bike Plan. The new Bike Plan will identify barriers to cycling, prioritize improvements and act as a resource for Caltrans staff to implement bike infrastructure on and across Caltrans roadways in the 9-county Bay Area. In El Cerrito, most of San Pablo Avenue is under Caltrans jurisdiction. Learn more about the Bike Plan Update here and take the survey here .

Share Your Ideas for the Region’s Future: Plan Bay Area 2050+

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Area’s regional planning agencies, officially kicked off the update to the Bay Area’s long-range plan, Plan Bay Area, on Friday, July 14, 2023. Nearly two years after the adoption of Plan Bay Area 2050, the agencies are starting to craft the latest iteration of the Bay Area’s shared vision for the future, known as Plan Bay Area 2050+. MTC and ABAG are moving forward with a limited and focused update that aims to more fully reflect the realities of the post-COVID environment, including Transit 2050+, a parallel effort focused on the future of transit. Learn more about the plan here and share your ideas at a pop-up workshop. Workshop dates may be found here.

FIRE

CERT Training is BACK!

The El Cerrito/Kensington Fire Department (ECKFD) is actively seeking CERT members and surveying residents for preparedness and participation with an online survey at https://tinyurl.com/4rx8dzt5. We partnered with Lamorinda Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for fall and winter training sessions, providing training for our community for a standard resident fee of $40. Registration for CERT training offered by Lamorinda CERT is available online at https://classes.lamorindacert.org.

Training Update

ECKFD continues to train with its neighboring agencies, including participating in helicopter rescue training with the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Air Operations. The training included paramedics from ECKFD as instructors for new participating members from Marin County Fire and Daly City Fire. In addition, ECKFD worked with San Ramon Valley Fire, Rodeo Hercules Fire, Crockett Fire, and Contra Costa County Fire during a live burn exercise in the Bayo Vista area. Finally, ECKFD participated in truck operations with Contra Costa County Fire, Richmond Fire, and Rodeo-Hercules Fire. Truck operations include the tactics of throwing ladders, performing searches for victims in burning buildings, and cutting ventilation holes in roofs during an active fire.

Chief Saylors presented the empirical findings of a seven-year study on effective practices on active shooter events at the Emergency Medical Services Administrators Association of California (EMSAAC). ECKFD continues to prepare for all types of hazards to ensure public safety.

Hillside Natural Area Fuel Management and Wildfire Preparedness

Fuel management of the Hillside Natural Area continues this season with mowing the tall grasses of the fence lines and access trails. Measure X funds provided work from Crew Twelve to help clear ground fuels.

POLICE

New Crime Fighting Technology

Have you noticed the new cameras being installed around the city? The El Cerrito Police Department is excited to be working with Flock Safety and installing Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras throughout El Cerrito.

The cameras were approved by the City Council at the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting on March 21, 2023. Prior to City Council approval, the El Cerrito Police Department hosted the first public meeting on November 9, 2022. This was followed by a publicized and scheduled presentation to the El Cerrito Crime Prevention Committee on February 6, 2023. The Crime Prevention Committee endorsed the plan to deploy ALPR cameras in El Cerrito during this meeting.

The cameras are a valuable tool used to develop leads, solve crimes, and enhance safety in El Cerrito. The cameras are designed to take pictures of the rear of vehicles and license plates. The cameras take photos, not video, and images are deleted after 30 days.

The El Cerrito Police Department looks forward to maximizing this new technology to solve crime and keep El Cerrito safe.

Calls for Service

The El Cerrito Police Department (ECPD) handled 1,966 calls for service in June. To read more about the types of calls the ECPD handles, check out our Nixle Feed at www.nixle.com.

National Night Out

This year marks the 40th anniversary of this event with over 38 million people across the country expected to participate. We want neighborhoods to go back to the basics by getting more neighbors involved more intimately through numerous block parties held throughout our city. Check out the ECPD Nixle feed for block party locations.

New officers

ECPD had four new officers join our ranks this month! Welcome to Officer Roberts, Officer Winters, Officer Akin, and Officer Gyaltso!

Employment Opportunities with the ECPD

The ECPD is currently looking for candidates for Police Recruit and Police Officer. These jobs offer an unmatched ability to make positive change in our community and offer great benefits to boot! If you or someone you know is interested in joining the ECPD team, please have them check out our available positions at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/elcerrito.

PUBLIC WORKS

Recycling and Garbage Cart Color Change Complete

The City of El Cerrito and East Bay Sanitary would like to thank the community for their patience during the curbside cart swap project. Beginning July 10th, the City of El Cerrito began providing new Recycling and Garbage carts to comply with State law (SB 1383). The new Recycling Cart is BLUE and the Garbage Cart is BLACK. This standardizing of cart colors will take place throughout California for ease of separating materials and recycling no matter where you are.

Remember BLUE is now recycling! Updated recycling and garbage posters can be downloaded on the City’s website at www.el-cerrito.org/curbside.

If you have not received your new carts, or your old carts were not collected, or if you received the wrong number of carts, please contact East Bay Sanitary for garbage (or green waste) at (510) 237-4321 or El Cerrito Recycling for recycling at (510) 215-4350 or green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Community Workshop

Save the date for our second community workshop:

When: Wednesday, August 23 at 6:00 pm

Where: Virtually on Zoom - RSVP requested but not required. RSVP here.

El Cerrito is developing a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) that builds on the City’s initial Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2013. The plan provides a roadmap to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and better prepare for climate change impacts.

The following elements of the plan are in progress, which will also incorporate feedback from upcoming meetings and the public workshop:

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory results
Target-setting
Wedge analysis
Vulnerability Assessment
Early win actions
CAAP strategies and actions
Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) definitions and weights

The City is committed to developing the Plan with community participation and wants this plan to reflect community perspectives, priorities, and values.

The CAAP is not just a guidance document; by participating, you have an influence on solutions— including public investments, actions for individual behavioral change, and business strategies and opportunities—for the whole El Cerrito community. By sharing your input, you have an opportunity to guide the development of El Cerrito’s climate action. Let’s decide together how to create an economically and environmentally sustainable future in El Cerrito!

For more information on the CAAP and to complete our online survey visit el-cerrito.org/ClimateActionPlan or contact Christina Leard at cleard@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

Participate in AC Transit’s August 15th Community Workshop

Earlier this year, AC Transit launched Realign, a top-to-bottom system analysis and redesign prompted by the pandemic’s effect on travel patterns and corresponding budget challenges from falling ridership and fare revenue. The agency published draft principles and findings from the first phase of community outreach and a virtual community workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, August 15 to receive public feedback on these items. To review these materials and access workshop information, click here.

Welcome to New Engineering Staff

Please join the Public Works Department in welcoming Raed Al-Zaher, our new Engineering Technician, and Marielle Cuison, our new Associate Engineer, to the City of El Cerrito! They both joined the City in June.

Raed has experience in local and state governments in the areas of municipal engineering, safety engineering, project management, and emergency management. Most recently, he worked for the City of San Rafael. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Technology and a Master of Science in Emergency Management & Engineering Sciences, both from Oklahoma State University. In his position with El Cerrito, Raed will be focusing on our encroachment permit, traffic, accessibility, and clean water programs, as well as assisting with capital projects, mapping and more.

Marielle has experience working for consulting firms, transit agencies and local government in the areas of transportation, civil engineering, and project management. Most recently, she worked for a consulting firm on a regional wayfinding project. Prior to that, Marielle worked for the City of Oakland and BART managing paving and maintenance projects, preparing design plans, coordinating with external stakeholders and across departments, and reviewing construction permits. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, with a minor in Ethnic Studies, from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and a Master of Science degree in Transportation Management from San Jose State University - Mineta Transportation Institute. Marielle is a licensed Professional Engineer. In El Cerrito, Marielle will be focusing on transportation safety and access programs and delivering a variety of capital improvement projects, as well as supporting other engineering services and planning efforts.

EBMUD Wildcat Pipeline Improvement Project – Construction Underway

This summer EBMUD will begin construction of the long-anticipated Wildcat Pipeline Improvement Project. EBMUD identified the project in its West of Hills Master Plan as critical to meet current and future demands, improve reliability, and increase transmission capacity. In El Cerrito, the project generally consists of the installation of 2.6 miles of new 36-inch diameter water transmission pipeline that will run from the intersection of Liberty and Hill Streets on the north side of El Cerrito to the intersection of Lynn Avenue and Colusa Avenue on the south side of town, mostly along Richmond Street.

The work will be performed by EBMUD’s contractor, Cratus Inc., who will begin by potholing the entire length of the project limits in late July and early August to identify any utility conflicts. Construction will take approximately 2 years, in one-block segments, and there will be traffic detours during construction.

In advance of any major construction work, EBMUD and their contractor will deliver notices to residents, businesses, and schools that may be impacted providing information on the construction schedule, scope of the work, temporary traffic control, parking restrictions, and contact information. For more information about the project, please visit EBMUD’s website here.

Traffic Safety Requests

The Engineering team has been evaluating and addressing requests from residents to improve traffic safety in their neighborhoods. This includes installing new red curbs at intersections to improve visibility between vehicles at the intersection, and between vehicles and pedestrians accessing the crosswalks (also known as “daylighting”).

As part of these traffic safety improvements, the Maintenance team recently installed new red curbs at these locations:

In front of 7301 Stockton Avenue, on the northeast corner of the Stockton Avenue/Pomona Avenue intersection, to improve visibility at the intersection
In front of 816 Craft Avenue, to facilitate entering/exiting at the temporary fire station at the end of Craft Avenue
In front of 6100 Barrett Avenue, on the southeast corner of the Barrett Avenue/Mira Vista Drive intersection, to improve visibility at the intersection

Central Avenue / I-80 Interchange Projects Advance

Although in the City of Richmond, the Central Avenue/I-80 interchange is a major vehicle connection and challenging barrier to east-west bicycle and pedestrian travel. The City of Richmond, City of El Cerrito, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, West Contra Costa Transportation Authority and Caltrans have been collaborating to make improvements. Two projects are advancing that aim to ease traffic flow and provide new bicycle and pedestrian connections:

I-80/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Phase 2: Led by the City of Richmond, the Phase 2 interchange improvement project will add vehicle capacity by increasing spacing between signalized intersections. The Phase 1 project installed time-of-day turn restrictions at the Jacuzzi Street / Central Avenue intersection. Phase 2 design is underway, and construction is estimated to start in 2025. More information is here.
I-80 / Central Avenue Undercrossing Bikeway: Led by Caltrans, this project will install a new separated bikeway and pedestrian pathway along Central Avenue beneath the I-80 overpass, closing a key gap in the BART-to-Bay Trail linkage envisioned in the City’s 2016 Active Transportation Plan. Construction is estimated to start in 2025. More information is here.

Local Road Safety Plan

On July 18th, the City Council approved an agreement with Kittelson & Associates, Inc. to develop a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) for the City. Road safety is a growing focus of state and national concern. Nationwide, roadway fatalities have remained stubbornly high for the past decade. Approximately 40,000 people die on U.S. roads every year, or one fatality per 100 million miles traveled. The trend worsened during the pandemic. In 2021, nearly 43,000 people died on American roads, an approximately ten percent increase above 2020, and the highest number of deaths since 2007. The City’s LRSP, consistent with latest state and federal guidelines, will include the following elements:

Crash data gathering, analysis, and identification of crash patterns
Equity analysis of crash effects on disadvantaged populations and underserved communities
Community outreach and engagement
Development of potential street design, policy, and program countermeasures in response to the identified crash patterns and community feedback

The LRSP will be developed over the next year and the planning process will include robust community outreach and engagement. For more information on the LRSP, please contact pworks@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

RECREATION

Fall rECguide & Activity Registration

The El Cerrito Recreation Fall rECguide is now available! This edition includes special events, youth activities, adult programs, senior services, aquatics and more for September-December 2023. To view the full guide, visit www.el-cerrito.org/recguide.

Registration will open online only on Tuesday, August 1st for El Cerrito Residents, and on Wednesday August 2nd for Non-Residents. Registration is available at www.el-cerrito.org/onlinereg. Be sure to check out page 33 of the guide which includes tips and tricks for preparing for registration.

El Cerrito Campers Head to Humboldt County for Camp Ravencliff

On Wednesday, July 26th 80 campers and another 20 Teens-in-Leadership-Training and Counselors-in-Training made their way up to Humboldt County for El Cerrito's residential camp, Camp Ravencliff. This is the Recreation Department's 21st summer leading residential camp along the Eel River and amongst the redwood trees. While at Camp Ravencliff, campers get the opportunity to participate in activities that include archery, swimming, canoeing, crafts, performing arts, team building, self-reflection, and so much more. It is also a unique opportunity to spend time in and gain an appreciation for nature and the great outdoors. El Cerrito Recreation will host two sessions of camp, and ultimately return home on Saturday, August 5.

Age-Well Drive Smart Seminar (FREE)

On Thursday, August 24 from 9am-12pm, California Highway Patrol (CHP) will hold an Age-Well Drive Smart Seminar for adult drivers ages 60 and older. Certificate of completion awarded at the end of the seminar. Space is limited! Advance registration required. Registration is available online at www.el-cerrito.org/onlinereg. For more information about this program email recreation@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or call (510) 559-7000.

Blood Drive: Friday, 8/25 from 9am-3pm

Donors needed! The Recreation Department has partnered with the American Red Cross to host a Blood Drive at the El Cerrito Community Center on Friday, August 25. The event will take place 9am-3pm in the Garden Room. Appointments are required and can be made online at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?order=DATE&range=10&zipSponsor=ELCERRITO. One donation can save up to three lives!

We Want Your Feedback!

Did you know that you can provide feedback, suggest new programs, compliment instructors, or let us know where there is room for improvement using our feedback survey? Now available is an online survey that allows the public to share their thoughts on all recreation experiences. To provide your feedback on the Recreation Department, click here. Your comments help shape our future programs and planning!