COMING EVENTS
TODAY
FREE PARK DAY FOR JUNETEENTH
TOMORROW
THE ARRIVAL OF SUMMER
SATURDAY
FAMFEST STREET FESTIVAL RETURNS
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2024
YEAR 36
MAC MEETING
INSIDE YOUR
Crow Canyon Repairs
FORUM
Street Stories
Frant Martinez shares his story of going from unhoused to shelter
By Amy Sylvestri
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Page 2
More than 60 people packed a school district meeting last Wednesday, hoping to sway the board on proposed improvements to the Canyon Middle School athletic fields.
Road Repairs
Repairs underway on Redwood Road fixing past storm damage
Page 3
At Odds Over Canyon Field By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Senior Q&A
Are you aware of the steps involved in administering a trust?
Page 10
INDEX Calendar ................ 4 Classified Ads ........ 8 Crosswords ............ 9 Homes ..................... 6 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............... 11 Our Town ................. 3 Seniors .................. 10 Sports .................. 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
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More than 60 people packed a school district meeting last Wednesday, hoping to sway the board on proposed improvements to the Canyon Middle School athletic fields. Half of those in attendance were students decked out in soccer uniforms and carrying signs asking the district to approve a $14 million upgrade to replace the school’s natural turf upper playing field with a synthetic turf athletic field suitable for soccer and baseball. The project also includes installing new scoreboards, bleachers, and a batting cage. Student and staff
restrooms, showers, and drinking fountains would also receive ADA and other accessibility upgrades. Most of the remaining audience members were neighbors living near the school concerned that adding pole-mounted lighting, additional noise and traffic, and extending use as late as 10:00 p.m. would negatively impact their quality of life. The Board of Trustees held the hearing on June 12 to include final public comment on an Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/ MND), part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CVUSD must certify the MND before the project can continue. The information-
al document does not approve or deny a project. Still, it identifies how disruptive the project is to the area, including air quality, noise, traffic, light, and biological impacts on wildlife. The Board is scheduled to consider approval of the MND on June 26. Placeworks, a consulting firm working with CVUSD, is currently reviewing all the written public comments and will prepare a written response to each one received during the comment period. “At this time, we do not know whether revisions will be made to the MND,” CVUSD Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi told the Forum. see FIELD on back page
Construction on Crow Canyon Road is set for completion by the end of this summer, and a roundabout installation project on the road is planned for 2026, according to an update from the Alameda County Public Works Agency (PWA) at this week’s meeting of the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC). A “full depth reclamation” or resurfacing of the busy road from mile marker 5.25 to mile marker 6.78 began in April and is projected for completion in August. The construction is taking place in three phases: Phase One (southernmost section) is complete, Phase Three (northernmost section) is currently being worked on, and Phase Two (middle section) is set to begin this week. Crow Canyon is one of Castro Valley’s busiest roads, with up to 18,000 cars daily on the popular commuter route. According to Daniel Woldesenbet, PWA director, there have been delays, flaggers, and oneway traffic during construction but no full closures. see MAC on page 4
FamFest Returns to Ashland This Saturday Area Chamber of Commerce again hosts this street festival, which features entertainment, Ready to kick your summer food, beer, and family fun. The event will be held from into high gear? Then, make your way down to the Ashland 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on East Youth Center for the 2nd An- 14th Street at 163rd Avenue in Ashland. nual FamFest on June 22. The Castro Valley and Eden Traffic will be closed along By Josie de la Torre
SPECIAL TO THE FORUM
fan favorites such as tacos and East 14th Street for a few blocks and rerouted a few hours pupusas. before that to accommodate the “As people walk through, setup of stages and booths. they will see vendors, community services, games & bounce Admission is free for everyone to enjoy. Vendors will houses for the kids. They will smell wonderful food, sell a variety of items, from including tacos and pupusas, jewelry to homemade goods. Street vendors will be selling and hear Music,” said Gary
Slate, executive director of the Chamber. Returning musical performances will be Taiko Drummers and Patron Latin Rhythm. Booths have games for children, with some giving out keepsakes to kids and see FAMFEST on page 5