Big Things Will Be Happening Here in Brisbane in the New Year!

This year is quickly drawing to a close, with already there being much to look forward to in 2009. In January alone, there are a few items well worth mentioning:

On 1/10, you’ll have the opportunity to help beautify Old Quarry Road. From 9am-noon, come and lend a hand planting indigenous, native plants and pulling the less welcome ones like broom and ivy. Meet at the entrance to Old Quarry Rd. @ San Francisco St. Hopefully the rains will remain at bay (in case of showers, the event will be canceled). This event is co-sponsored by Lipman School and the City of Brisbane Parks & Recreation Dept., with Lipman students able to earn community service points for this activity. For more information, please contact Peter Stiehler at (650) 291-2400.

Also taking place on the 10th is the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Bayshore North-South Bikeway project. This project was started in early October, propelled by the Council’s desire to reduce greenhouse gases and increase the safety for our citizens who walk or ride their bikes on Bayshore Blvd. A total of $550,000 (87% of the project) was granted through the California Transportation Development Act to widen and smooth over the bike lane on Bayshore Blvd., as well as install grooved pavement rumble strips and a 6” wide bikeway shoulder stripe for further safety. See the photo below for details:

Come join us at 10:00am in the Park and Ride Station at Bayshore and Old County Rd. as we celebrate the successful completion of this project! Light refreshments will be served.

The Calendar of Events located on the City’s website will begin incorporating the meeting times and special events information for community groups here in town. Click here for a listing of the community clubs and organizations that exist in Brisbane. With currently over 20 groups, you are bound to find something that suits your needs. If you would like to add your club’s meetings times or include one of their upcoming events on the Calendar of Events, please contact Parks & Recreation supervisor Steve Beaty at sbeaty@ci.brisbane.ca.us.

Then there are some events that don’t necessarily require any reminders. One of those being the inauguration ceremony of president-elect Barack Obama on 1/20. U.S. senator Dianne Feinstein, heading the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, has invited both the San Francisco Boys Chorus and San Francisco Girls Chorus to lend their voices as Obama is being sworn-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. You may recall the San Francisco Girls Chorus (previously Chorissima) had performed at Live at Mission Blue as part of the 2007-2008 season.

Make sure to tune in for the swearing-in ceremony, as you may catch one of Brisbane’s own, Elizabeth Stern, performing alongside 85 other choristers from the Bay Area (43 young singers from the SF Girls Chorus and 43 from the SF Boys Chorus will be singing Obama into office). In a press release, Dianne Feinstein said that the “two choruses were selected for their high level of artistic excellence, embodiment of the American spirit and promise for the future.” To hear more on this much talk-about event, click here for a webcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered”.

Congratulations to all the young singers! You’ll soon be a part of history, and that alone is considered to be a huge achievement!