About San Leandro's Marina Faire

Funds from a bond measure that passed in 2008 by East Bay Regional Park District voters is finally arriving for the city of San Leandro. This small town in the middle of the San Francisco bay will improve it's Walkability Level hence improving its home values. A new report by CEO's for Cities, a national network of urban leaders, reveals that homes in so-called walkable neighborhoods may be more valuable than homes in car-dependent ones.

According to the report, Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities, found that higher levels of walkability, as determined by a walk score, were directly linked to higher home values. Walk scores are calculated based on a home's proximity to community amenities such as schools, retail shops, parks, libraries, banks and restaurants.

Measure WW provides money for park projects throughout the district. In early January the City Council approved spending for several projects, that will beautify and enhance city parks and will include getting a fenced dog park by the Marina. The city's $3.7 million dollars share will be spend on approximately 10 city park projects that were suggested by the Recreation and Parks Commission with input from local residents.

There will be new asphalt walkways in the parks, new equipment in some areas, and irrigation and drainage improvements in others. New aluminum bleachers will be installed, plus new lockers and restroom refurbishments. There will be new picnic areas in some parks, and repairs in others.

San Leandro, a city just 20 minutes from downtown San Francisco, already has easy access to fishing, boating, camping and walking trails along Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Lake Chabot. There is even a 20 mile mountain bike trail that crosses the entire park. The 5+ mile Bay Trail on the west side of the city offers beautiful panoramic views of the San Francisco bay.

These improvements will allow the city of San Leandro to offer its residents a more comfortable and healthy way to enjoy the outdoors. There are a lot of dogs wagging their tails in anticipation of the opening of the dog park, a park with views of the San Francisco bay This will be a great place to take those important family members who need a daily walk. (I'm talking about the 4 legged ones) kibbles anyone?

I was talking to my source at my lead generation company. His office is not too far from Hershey Pennsylvania and the conversation soon turned to the sweet stuff.

I had to rub it in that San Leandro also has a chocolate company with in our borders. Ghirardelli Chocolate company is located on 139th avenue between East 14th Street and Washington Avenue. Our chocolate is actually world famous for being good chocolate.

As everyone knows that the Ghirardelli chocolate company started off in San Francisco at what is now known as Ghirardelli Square. In the 1960s the factory was moved over to more modern facilities here in San Leandro.

For a while it shared the same building with Golden Grain pasta company. You may have heard of them also, they are the makers of Rice-A-Roni and Past-A-Roni "The San Francisco Treat". Only thing is that it was made in San Leandro.

Also over in San Leandro's industrial area is the home to Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, brownies and muffins. Otis Spunkmeyer is located at the corner of Catalina and Farallon.

Both Ghirardelli and Otis Spunkmeyer have factory outlets open to the public.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that Kraft General Foods has their internation flavored coffee plant located at the corner of Halcyon and Washington.

If you want a sweet deal on a home in San Leandro, give me a call and I would be more than happy to find you a home downwind of the chocolate factory. There are some neighborhoods that smell so good with the chocolate all the time. I call the area near Ghirardelli "Chocolatetown".

some links

http://www.ghirardelli.com/

http://www.otisspunkmeyer.com/

On the Western edge of the city of San Leandro is the San Leandro Marina, Oyster Bay Regional Park and the Monarch Bay Golf Course.

The Marina was concieved in the early 1950s and built in the late 1950s to early 1960s.

Along the shoreline are restaurants:

• Pelusso's Blue Dolphin Restaurant. A fine dining establishment with banquet facilities. This building was built on pier pilings and was closed and torn down in recent years.
• El Torito, this building was originally the Casa Maria Restaurant. The restaurant later became Tia Maria Restaurant. Similar restaurants were built at other Marinas including Berkeley. The Chain restaurant company El Torito now operates in this location.
• Horatio's a fine dining establishment offering excellent food was the last to be built.

http://www.ci.san-leandro.ca.us/PWMarina.asp

There is some recent debate as to whether or not to dredge the marina's channel that runs out into the middle of the bay.

It is my personal opinion that the channel should be dredged! There may come a time after an earthquake when the Marina may have to be used as an East Bay ferry terminal.

There is a hotel at the Marina, it is called smartly enough "The San Leandro Marina Inn". http://www.sanleandromarinainn.com/ The Marina Inn is a great place for business travelers due to it's picturesque waterfront location and location to the Oakland International Airport.

There is a ParCourse exersize circuit out on the berms that create the Marina Park and lagoon.

The golf course started out as the Tony Lema Golf Course (Named after a local golfing champion). It was later renamed Monarch Bay Golf Club. http://monarchbay.americangolf.com/ and http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=102345