All posts by the Shasta Living Streets team

News, Redding

California Street Labs

We are excited to announce that we have received a grant from TheMcConnell Foundation to serve as Activation Lead for Downtown Warehouse Activation!  This is located in the the renovated warehouse at the site of the former police station in downtown Redding.

Demolition is nearing completion, and the effort to salvage a portion of bricks has been successful.  The project was originally dubbed The Green Door Project for the distinctive green doors that have also been salvaged.  Now, as warehouse renovation nears completion to launch as early as September, the project has taken on its official name:  California Street Labs.

The McConnell Foundation has made a ten year commitment to downtown revitalization.  We begin with California Street Labs, a project that is temporary by design.  Leveraging the tools of tactical urbanism, this project is intended to invite the public to experience a sampling of what is possible in a vibrant downtown.  – Rachel Hatch, Program Officer for Community Vitality with The McConnell Foundation.

The Foundation is working with community groups to activate the warehouse.  To activate means to program the space with people and objects to enliven it.  Today, the Foundation announces a grant to Shasta Living Streets, who will serve as the Activation Lead on the effort.   This builds on Shasta Living Streets’ successful 2015 pop-up venue, Market Hall at 1729 California Street (described in Enjoy Magazine, August 2015 here http://bit.ly/2AXf9g4).

It is more important than ever to give our community a place to participate and connect. We see this as a bright spot in our city as downtown development projects and community revitalization are underway.  – Anne Thomas, Executive Director of Shasta Living Streets.

Examples of activities that will happen in the space include: art installations, pop-up retail, music performances, film screenings, bike-related activities, meet-up groups, and more.  Community participation will revolve around 7 key themes:  Civic Life, DIY (Do It Yourself), Future City, Real Play, Science & the Natural World in the City, Culture, Arts & Entertainment, and New Economy.

For more information:
California Street Labs Invitation

You are invited to participate, share your interest with us:
PARTICIPATE
REGISTER RETAIL

Community members who are interested in learning how to participate in the California Street Labs should attend the

SNEAK PEEK EVENT
Wednesday, September 5th from 4-7 PM 
Drop by 1313 California Street, meet the team from Shasta Living Streets, tour the space, and learn how to take part in this exciting endeavor.

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About Shasta Living Streets: Shasta Living Streets is a local organization that since 2010 has been dedicated to building better bikeways and trails, walkable cities and vibrant public places in Shasta County.

About The McConnell Foundation: This year marks 30 years of giving for the foundation located in Redding with a mission of “helping build better communities through philanthropy.”  For updates on downtown projects, see: https://www.mcconnellfoundation.org/community-vitality/the-latest/

Bicycling, News, Redding, Trails

Shasta Bike Depot

The Shasta Bike Depot creates a mobility hub at the Redding Transit Center to provide amenities to empower and encourage biking, walking and transit commutes by residents and tourists.

The main facility is at the nexus of major bicycle routes bringing people in-and-out on connected, convenient bikeways to other areas of the city and county.  It is in the center of a walkable business and entertainment district, an easy walk to the Sacramento River Trail, Turtle Bay Park, and a little further to Hilltop Avenue.

The active transportation commute services will complement transit options to provide people in our community with a full-suite of coordinated, car-free travel options between Redding’s three main walkable districts.  Depot services will assist people using the future Salmon Runner inter-city transit connection between Redding and Sacramento.

A Bike Station + Trail Services

The Shasta Bike Depot offers a full-service set of features for active transportation commutes and to serve visitors to our region.

Providing amenities • Creating Community • Empowering People

  • Education for safety and access
  • Encouragement events
  • Bike Match program (coming soon!)
  • Community activities, public engagement
  • Tourism services
  • Bike tours (coming soon!)

These new services will empower commuters and build on enthusiasm for trails and outdoor living.  The Bike Depot and Bell Room Plaza will create another great downtown space to forge community identity, support local business, and help grow our regional economy.

Recent article: Shasta Bike Depot will help Redding embrace its potential as a bikeable city, Calbike, Summer 2020

Shasta Bike Depot Today

Shasta Bike Depot is located today in the warehouse at 1313 California Street.  We are developing programs and prototyping services. Construction of the new building across the street is underway now.

  • Freedom from Training Wheels
  • Workshops and meetings

Coming Soon!

A mobility hub at the transit center

The Shasta Bike Depot creates a mobility hub at the Redding Transit Center to provide amenities to empower and encourage biking, walking and transit commutes by residents and tourists.

The main facility is at the nexus of major bicycle routes bringing people in-and-out on connected, convenient bikeways to other areas of the city and county.  It is in the center of a walkable business and entertainment district, an easy walk to the Sacramento River Trail, Turtle Bay Park, and a little further to Hilltop Avenue.

The active transportation commute services will complement transit options to provide people in our community with a full-suite of coordinated, car-free travel options between Redding’s three main walkable districts.  Depot services will assist people using the future Salmon Runner inter-city transit connection between Redding and Sacramento.

A Bike Station + Trail Services

The Shasta Bike Depot offers a full-service set of features for active transportation commutes and to serve visitors to our region.

Providing amenities • Creating Community • Empowering People

  • Secure bike parking, bike station, bike theft prevention
  • Education for safety and access
  • Encouragement events
  • Community activities, public outreach
  • Tourism services, bike tours
  • Redding Bikeshare

Bike Depot programs engage youth participation and include job training and experience, for example in our partnership with Shasta College.

These new services will empower commuters and build on enthusiasm for trails and outdoor living.  The Bike Depot and Bell Room Plaza will create another great downtown space to forge community identity, support local business, and help grow our regional economy.

Vision

We imagine Downtown Redding as the center hub of a connected city. It’s a people-friendly, walkable, bikeable district with vibrant public places.  Downtown is linked to nearby walkable districts by transit-oriented and trail-oriented development.

This is a cross between traditional small-town America
and a modern, progressive thinking city.

When we give a lot more people the resources, skills and confidence they need to get around safely and conveniently walking and biking, they discover the ease and joy of active living.  When we add high-quality facilities and experiences, our community becomes healthier, happier, and more prosperous.

Challenges we face with no transportation choice

In our region, the high cost and lack of transportation choice destabilizes families, leads to poor health, and drives talented young people and retired couples to seek another place to live and play.  Leaving our families stressed, our businesses without the employees they need, and our children at risk.

Today Shasta County has unacceptably high rates of debilitating health outcomes directly related to inactivity, along with some of the highest levels in the U.S. of death and life-altering injuries from car collisions with people walking and biking.

Unprecedented local opportunity

Major transformation is now possible for regions like ours.  New pedal-assist e-bike technology makes bicycling a single-mode transportation option for six to ten miles.  This now makes cycling comfortable and easy for everyone – regardless of distance, heat, or hills.  To take advantage of this opportunity, we must create safe spaces for people of all ages and abilities to walk and bike.  Additionally, California policy and funding supports are now supporting change by our cities to build the networks of safe and separated facilities for biking and walking that we need.

In the past three years our local agencies and community organizations have come together like never before to revitalize our region.  The scope of city and regional plans and projects is transformational.  Funding for projects includes two of the state’s largest Sustainable Community grants with coordinated active transportation and transit improvements and affordable housing.

Our region is poised to be a model for smart growth and transit and trail-oriented development for non-coastal cities in California, if we continue to move forward and shape our future to benefit families and businesses with transit and trail-oriented development.

News, Redding, Trails

With your support a major trail project moves forward along the river

Two years ago we spearheaded a collaborative project & raised funds.  There is happy news to report – Remember when we said this?

Imagine: Improvements that enhance boating access and extend the River Trail behind the Posse Grounds along the river

trail_water

It’s happening!  City of Redding recently received a $560,000 grant.  This will begin the first of three phases :

  1.  Extending the riparian and park area along the river
  2.  Making improvements to river access and the boat ramp area
  3.  Adding trail improvements and amenities

We call this the Redding Riffle project because of the very important fish habitat in the river adjacent to this area.

Improvements starting now in Phase I include:

  • Increasing the riparian and park area
  • Installing permeable-pavement parking further from the river
  • Increasing native plant cover and removing invasive species
  • Alignment will be created for the trail 
  • (Boat ramp improvements and trail amenities to be added later) 

Thank you to our members and supporters and to the collaborative organizations.

Flyshop

 

 

 

News

Gary Larson receives our first Active Living Innovator Award

The Active Living Innovator Award recognizes excellence in active living, bringing people wellness, prosperity, and joy.

We are so pleased to recognize Gary Larson for his achievements over many decades as owner of Chain Gang bike shop in Redding.   He long-ago put Shasta County on the map as a world leader in cycling.

Gary led the first organized mountain bike race in the world, the Whiskeytown Downhill.  The first ever – right here in Shasta County, starting in 1981 it grew to a race of 500 riders.  Then in 1985, his shop led the Vulcan Tour, a local stage race held in Redding that attracted the worlds top racers in road riding.  Gary devoted his business and his time and attention to support many cycling efforts in our community.  We all benefit now as we build on his accomplishments.  Thank you to Gary and his family, and the many people who have worked in his shop and partnered with him on projects.

 
IMG_1077What is that golden trophy?   It’s a Skyway TUFF Wheel!  The first-of-it’s-kind wheel was developed by Chuck Raudman and manufactured by Skyway in Redding starting in 1976.

As a major cycling innovation, a Skyway TUFF Wheel hangs in the Smithsonian Institute.

We figured it’s a great physical representation of active living excellence in Shasta County!  Thank you to OnCourse signs and engraving for turning it into a trophy.

 

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Bicycling, Events

Cycling Stories from 1909! Read with us – Two Wheels North

Do you ever find it hard to get motivated to ride your bike in the heat or over hilly terrain?

Get inspired, Read Two Wheels North with us 

Find some inspiration in this true story that took place in the early years of the 20th century, before cars were the dominant form of transportation and before a quality network of paved roads had been established.

192 Pages.  You can easily read it in a few days.  Get a book and share with friends!

September 14th Bikes, Books & Beer

Come to Carnegie’s, have a pint and some dinner, and join in lively discussion.   We will bring other stories and photos of cycling in the 1800s and early 1900s.

How to get your copy

  • From Shasta Living Streets
    • Members can borrow a copy from us for free.  Return it when you are done for the next person to read.
    • Limited number of copies you can keep for a $12 donation.

Call Shasta Living Streets at (530) 355-2230 or email at elizabeth@shastalivingstreets.org to get a copy!

  • In the Library:  Two Wheels North is in the Shasta College Library, F852 .G45 2000
  • Purchase a new one from the publisher, OSU Press.  Here

 

Two Wheels North, by Evelyn McDaniel Gibb

In 1909, Vic McDaniel and Ray Francisco, just out of high school, set out from Santa Rosa, California, on second-hand bikes, bound for the great Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle. Traveling on dusty roads, roads of logs, of planks, even of corn stalks, and often no roads at all, they pedaled, pushed, and walked a thousand miles north for 54 days. With excitement in their hearts and a good luck billiken in their bedroll, they started out with only $5.65 between them.  Camp was wherever, whenever the sun was gone; food was an occasional meal from a kindly farm wife and what they could fish, hunt, or glean…

Evelyn Gibb, daughter of one of the cyclists, has drawn on her father’s recollections to tell this incredible adventure in his voice.

 

 

Call To Action, Redding

Share your biking and walking safety concerns by Mon July 24

Do you want safer streets for walking and bicycling? 

Would you like the Redding City Council to continue to prioritize efforts to improve the safety and accessibility of streets and neighborhoods? 

Your voice counts.  The Redding City Council is asking for input.
Help ensure this serious safety issue continues to be a priority for the City of Redding.  Contact information below.

The Challenge

Traffic deaths and life-altering injuries from collisions are preventable.  For too long we’ve considered traffic deaths and severe injuries to be inevitable side effects of modern life.  We face a crisis on our streets — with traffic violence taking too many lives, both from collisions and from sedentary lifestyles.

The significant loss of life exacts a tragic toll, extending beyond personal loss to deep community impacts, including: personal economic costs and emotional trauma to those suffering; and significant taxpayer spending on emergency response and long-term healthcare costs. And because so many fear for their safety on our streets, there is no real transportation choice for our families — no right to choose to walk or bike — and, as a result, we compromise our public health with increasing rates of sedentary diseases, higher transportation costs, traffic congestion and pollution.

The Vision

We can save lives, prevent life-altering injuries, increase physical activity, reduce the high cost of transportation for local families, and improve the livability of our community and the strength of our local economy.

People in Redding from all walks of life -staff in the City of Redding and Shasta Regional Transportation, as well as businesses, developers and community groups are attempting to address this problem.  We want to ensure that their work to make streets safer for all modes of transportation continues to be a priority so they can move forward with reliable data, resources, and political support.

How you can help

Two opportunities for public participation are available:

First, Share your thoughts in an email  

City Council wants to know what safety issues concern you – and what solutions you would like to see addressed.  Please send a respectful email with your concerns for safe bicycling and walking in Redding, generally, on with specific detail.  We want to register the communities interest to continue addressing this serious safety issue.

Email here:  publicsafetyforum@cityofredding.org
All emails are due by 5 p.m. Monday, July 24  

  • Emails and will be provided to the City Council prior to the forum.
  • Email questions will be addressed at the forum as time allows, and may be addressed in subsequent materials.

And/or attend the forum and share your thoughts in person

Community Forum
Thursday. July 27
4 to 7 p.m.
City Council Chambers, 777 Cypress Avenue

In addition to the City Council, Redding Police officials will attend, as well representatives of Shasta County public safety agencies. The forum will include background information on what the City has done, and is able to do, to combat crime, including a rundown on ordinances the City has enacted to protect the public.

STAY INFORMED

Each year, more than 30,000 people — the population of a small city — are needlessly killed on American streets and thousands more are injured.  We call this suffering traffic “accidents” — but, in reality, we have the power to prevent traffic collisions.
Learn more at visionzeronetwork.org

 

Events, Redding

Join Us Saturday, April 22nd to celebrate healthy active living!

Saturday, April 22

The Festival features over 135 innovative exhibitors with interactive, educational fun for the entire family, give-aways, local artists, great local food, live music on two stages and activities for people of all ages.

11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Redding City Hall & Sculpture Park
755 Cypress Avenue, Redding

Find us at the Miracle Mile Stage – We will be serving beverages at the Fountain Bar!
Beer, Wine, Kombucha and Italian Sodas

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Celebrating Healthy Living • Building Healthy Communities • Restoring a Healthy Planet

The Whole Earth and Watershed Festival

Bicycle valet parking available near the center fountain,
by Shasta Wheelmen.

11:00am   Merit Parcel

11:30am   Nick Ciampi Band

12:30   Mark Perko

 1:00pm   Brendon Alvord Band

 2:00pm   Jim Dyar

  2:30pm   Buckhorn Mountain Stompers

3:30pm   Honeybee

4:00pm   The Brothers

Bicycling, Redding

VALET BICYCLE PARKING AT PREMIER LOCAL EVENTS #shastabikevalet

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SHASTA BIKE VALET
for a Successful Event


How can Shasta Bike Valet help your event be more successful?

Attract the large number of individuals and families who live active lives and are looking for events and places to safely and conveniently ride.

Let us manage bike parking for you.  Keep bikes off of fences and out of trees.  Remove security issues for your guests.

Reduce traffic congestion and free-up more automobile parking by serving people who want to ride instead of drive.

Showcase your organization’s commitment to community goals for excellence in active living.

How does Shasta Bike Valet work?

Our monitored bike parking is like a coat check for bicycles with controls and detailed record keeping.   We locate the parking area in a convenient and safe place.  Our staff and volunteers ensure bicycles are secure.

We will promote your event to our local active lifestyle community

We will promote your bicycle-friendly event to our members and supporters on social media and in our newsletter.

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Extras may include

Raffles, give-aways, educational activities and classes.  Talk with our staff about this if you are interested.

 

To discuss how Shasta Bike Valet can serve you and your event participants

Contact us at 530.355.2230

Thank you.  We look forward to meeting you.

Events

MarchFourth! A musical extravaganza and dance party

You are invited for an evening of inspiration and wondrous musical fun

Join us for
MarchFourth!

A musical extravaganza, dance party and fundraiser
to bring better bikeways, walkable cities
and vibrant public places to Redding and Shasta County!

MarchFourth is a musical and dance extravaganza, it’s a big band experience with five-piece percussion corps and six-part brass section, with dancers and stilt walkers.

7002763Sunday, March 12, 2017

Party starts at 6:00 pm
with DJ Deep Gruv
Show starts 7:00 pm

7003795Adults $25
$30 day of show

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GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

ONLINE   TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

IN PERSON  at The Music Connection in Redding

DAY OF SHOW TICKETS  $30 at the Vet’s Hall

GROUP TICKETS OR QUESTIONS   Call Shasta Living Streets 530.355.2230.

THIS IS AN ALL AGES SHOW  
Children 5-16 yrs $10.  Under 5 yrs free.

LOCATION   Redding Veteran’s Memorial Hall
Yes – you will find us at the VETERANS MEMORIAL HALL!
1605 Yuba Street, Downtown Redding

MarchFourth is a kaleidoscope of musical and visual energy that inspires the audience in an atmosphere of celebration and joy.

daniel in the crowdYou and your friends will have a great time and help bring more joy to people’s daily lives by supporting better bikeways,
walkable cities and vibrant public places in Shasta County!

SPECIAL GUEST    Dave Snyder,
Executive Director, California Bicycle Coalition  
Dave will share inspiration and how we are a part of the statewide movement for radical changes to enable more people to bicycle and walk, for healthier, safer and more prosperous communities for all!

CARNIVAL STYLE
Take this opportunity to dress-up, wear your favorite wild shirt, crazy hat or dancing shoes!  This show is all about fun and joy.  MarchFourth! fans know what we are talking about.   We will have a photo booth and are preparing some prizes for creative outfits.

SHASTA BIKE VALET AVAILABLE FOR OUR GUESTS

PHOTO BOOTH TO CAPTURE THE FUN

Presented by
Shasta Living Streets
Jefferson Public Radio
Miracle Mile Records
Ryan Russell Studio
Sierra Nevada
Carnegie’s

We look forward to seeing you at the party!  Thank you.

 

Shasta Living Streets inspires, engages and partners with community members and leaders to build better bikeways and trails, walkable cities and vibrant public places and make daily bicycling and walking convenient, reliable and fun.

This builds great cities and towns that offer everyone ages 8-80 a thriving regional economy, strong local business, healthy families, greater community interaction, less civic cost, less pollution, better living, and more joy!  

Bicycling, Events, Redding

Family Bicycling Day! Celebrating Safe Routes and Neighborhood Greenways

Sunday October 9  Sequoia Street 10:00 -3:00 p.m.

Enjoy a trail through the city to celebrate safe routes and neighborhood greenways.  Free to everyone.

It’s an event like no other.

It’s a bike, walk, skip, dance, skate, roll people-powered parade.

Family Bicycling Day.  It’s a trail through the city.

kixe_partnership

BRINGING SMILES

On this day a stretch of the city is transformed into a car-free zone for Sunday enjoyment.

Family, friends and neighbors meet and experience the neighborhood in a new way.  Groups across the community come together to celebrate the Garden District neighborhood and complete-streets improvements that help local children walk and bicycle to school.

The stress-free streets created for this event allow area residents to comfortably walk and bicycle with family and friends and learn about places and neighborhood attractions previously unexplored.  This gives people a way to see their neighborhood from a new perspective.  Families enjoy a safe space to gather, play, ride a bike, dance and engage.  Some people will ride a bicycle for the first time. Others will discover they can hula.  All are inspired to get out and enjoy our beautiful local neighborhoods more often.

CELEBRATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

We will celebrate the difference the complete street improvements have made to families in their daily lives.  The City of Redding, Shasta Safe Routes to School Program, and Sequoia School worked together to identify needed safety improvements and activities.

Learn how our children can be more active in their daily lives with safe crosswalks, traffic calming, protected bike lanes, Walking School Buses, Bike Trains, Crossing Guards, and more!

REDDING IS ON THE CUTTING EDGE.  MAKING CONNECTIONS, INSPIRING CHANGE.

Redding is one of the first cities in the nation to host open street events.  Shasta Living Streets has produced open street events in Redding for six years in collaboration with local agencies and businesses.  When we started we were one of 50 cities in the nation hosting these events to make connections and inspire change.  Now there are 133 cities in the nation with open street programs.

Last summer Anne Thomas was invited to present at the third International Open Street Summit.  The story of Redding’s ongoing program in a relatively small city that has inspired improvements for safe routes for biking and walking, was one of the most popular sessions at the conference.

internatl-summit

COMMUNITY TOGETHER

To create this free public event, Shasta Living Streets and Shasta Safe Routes to School partner  to engage businesses and community groups from across the county to participate.

SEQUOIA MIDDLE SCHOOL

Sequoia Middle School serves students in grades 6 through 8 as well as our 4thand 5th grade music magnet program.  As a five-time California Distinguished School, Sequoia offers rigorous coursework, an award winning music program and competitive sports teams.  The 4th and 5th grade music magnet program showcases strong academics with an emphasis in all music disciplines.  For more information please call 225-0020 or visit the website at sequoia.reddingschools.net.

PUBLIC USE OF A PUBLIC STREET

This is an event where residents will be moving about in the neighborhood and on a street as they can do on any day, but in this case without automobiles on the road.

People will be freely enjoying the neighborhood without the stress of car traffic.  This greatly reduces risks that might normally exist on this roadway and allows people to walk, bicycle, skate and hula – freely and comfortably on a Sunday afternoon.

Safe Streets.  Rader Excavating is the professional team that puts together the traffic plan in cooperation with city officials, and works all day to manage traffic and keep participants safe.

THE MAIN ACTIVITY IS YOU!  THE PEOPLE-POWERED PARADE 

It’s not just about bikes – you can walk with friends, skate, roll or dance.  Throw a Frisbee.  Show off that special bicycle:  the lowrider cruiser, the cargo bike, the family bicycle train, or the fancy street bike.   Bring someone who does not ride often on city streets. Decorate your bike.   Enjoy the people watching.

ACTIVITIES TO CHECK-OUT IN THE PEDESTRIAN HUBS

  • Shasta Living Streets Freedom from Training Wheels for the littlest riders and their parents
  • Healthy Shasta Bicycle Blender
  • Shasta Safe Routes to School Riding course for young riders
  • Shasta Historical Society special feature – Redding Streets from the 1800s to Now
  • Museum of Northern California Art Bus.  Activities for children of all ages.  monca.org
  • Bicycle Decoration and Bicycle Parade at 11:30(ish)
  • Sequoia School Chamber Orchestra!  1:30
  • Sequoia Jazz Band!  2:00
  • The always popular DJTwitch
  • KIXE features for children
  • Lowe’s Living Street outdoor living room
  • Chalk Art
  • Street Games – feel free to bring your own!
  • Coffee and drinks by Scout Coffee
  • Bicycle deliveries bringing to-go lunch orders from nearby San Francisco Deli and Orchard Nutrition

MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to add an activity, or have any questions, please contact Cassie at cmcaleer@shastalivingstreets.org or talk to a real person at 530.355.2230.