Welcome to the September 2023 edition of "The Backyard Brief." This month, you'll find information about the installation of the Iron Horse Trail Bridge Overcrossing; the upcoming Splatter and Creek Cleanup events; a used book sale at the Dublin Library; a new program to encourage environmental stewardship; Preparedness Month; textile recycling; and more!

The new arch truss bridge (see rendering, above) will free span approximately 230 feet over Dublin Boulevard, providing a safer and quicker crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling along the Iron Horse Regional Trail. Construction began with foundation piles, followed by concrete bents and elevated walkways. The final stage of the project requires lifting and putting the prefabricated bridge into place.

The Iron Horse Regional Trail is a major regional trail for pedestrians and bicyclists through central Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, generally following a former Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way that was abandoned in 1977. The Iron Horse Regional Trail was first established in 1986 and is maintained by the East Bay Regional Park District. The Trail currently passes through the cities of Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Concord, and unincorporated areas of the Counties of Contra Costa and Alameda. The Trail also directly connects to both the Dublin/Pleasanton and Pleasant Hill BART stations.

Currently, the Trail runs from northwest to southeast as it approaches Dublin Boulevard, which is a heavily traveled east-west roadway. The existing trail crossing at Dublin Boulevard is quite skewed. Trail users approaching Dublin Boulevard from the southeast are required to turn left and use the sidewalk along the south side of Dublin Boulevard for approximately 200 feet, cross the street at the existing Scarlett Drive signalized intersection, and then turn right and use the sidewalk along the north side of Dublin Boulevard for approximately 100 feet to get back to the Trail. The bridge overcrossing will allow users to stay on the Trail and cross over multiple lanes of automobile traffic via the bridge.

The City of Dublin has contracted with Goodfellow Bros. Sequoia A JV, for the construction of the Iron Horse Trail Bridge. The estimated project cost is fourteen million dollars, and is supported by funds from Alameda County Measure BB, BART Measure RR, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Transportation

Fund for Clean Air.

Splatter, the City of Dublin’s annual end-of-summer festival, returns to Emerald Glen Park (4201 Central Parkway) on Saturday, September 9, noon to 8:30 p.m. The multi-cultural event, celebrating food, art, wine, music, and dance from around the world, will conclude with an evening dance party concert featuring Saved by the '90s and Pop Rocks. The event finale will feature a 200-light drone show, which will fill the skies above Emerald Glen Park. A Splatter app will be available to download prior to the event.

Admission to the festival is free; however, there is a charge for children’s games and carnival rides. Splatter is known for its fun, family-friendly art activities; unusual art installations; live, multi-cultural music and dance performances; a World Craft Bazaar; and a culinary marketplace.

This year’s festival will continue to showcase music, dance, and art, while also providing many culturally diverse elements. The festival will feature community performances including Bollywood and classical Indian dance; Chinese dance; Kung Fu demonstrations; and more. Guests will have the opportunity to “shop around the globe” in the World Craft Bazaar, featuring a unique and diverse array of goods from different cultures.

There will be plenty of food and drink at the event, including a “Dine Around the World” area that will feature a vast array of international cuisines. A Tasting Pavilion, to be held on the tennis courts at Emerald Glen Park from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., will feature food and wine from purveyors in the Tri-Valley. While admission to the festival is free, Tasting Pavilion passports are $50 per person. Attendees are encouraged to purchase passports in advance of the event, as a limited number of Tasting Passports will be available for purchase on the day of the event. The Rotary Club of Dublin will also be on hand to serve local craft beer and wine. Purchase a Tasting Passport

The Illeagles (a tribute to the Eagles) will open the festival at 12:00 p.m. on the Main Stage, followed by Big Blu Soul Revue. Musical and cultural groups performing this year on the Amphitheater Stage include the Livermore Drum Circle, WeDance Chinese Ballet, Thunder KungFu Academy, Riar Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA), and the Camp Parks Army Band. The Side Yard Stage will feature performances from local talent and may include music, dance, poetry, and more. Roaming entertainers, interactive art activities, and art demonstrations will also be found throughout the festival.

The City of Dublin has partnered again with the Dublin Arts Collective to bring the "High Life" art exhibition (for exceptional high school students) to Splatter. The exhibition will take place inside The Wave at Emerald Glen Park from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Splatter is produced by the City of Dublin’s Parks and Community Services Department, with sponsorship support from local businesses. Those interested in being a volunteer, vendor, or sponsor should call (925) 556-4500 or visit www.dublinsplatter.com.

All registered volunteers will receive more detailed information prior to the creek cleanup event. In the meantime, here are some tips to help make your Creek Cleanup Day a success:

* Bring a reusable water bottle. Bulk water, only, will be provided at each site.

* Wear close-toed shoes, long pants, a hat, and sunscreen.

* Latex gloves will be available for all volunteers, but feel free to bring your own work gloves.

Important: The City of Dublin requires a waiver from all participants. Please bring a signed waiver with you to the event. All underage children must have their waiver signed by a parent or guardian. If your older teen (15+) will be dropped off at the event, be sure the waiver has been signed by a parent or guardian beforehand. For safety reasons, children under 15 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Additional detailed instructions will be provided to all registrants in the days leading up to the event.

Please reach out to Environmental Services if you have any questions at es@dublin.ca.gov or 925-833-6630.

Option 1: Individual and Family Registration

This option is for individuals and families who are interested in a self-tracked component with no required hours or initiatives. You decide when and where you would like to assist, and track your hours on a form (to be provided) for a chance to win prizes in the quarterly drawing. The more hours you contribute, the greater your chances of receiving one of our amazing prizes, which include City and program-branded gifts; gift cards to local businesses; free or reduced passes to The Wave; free or reduced passes to other city programs, such as the Shamrock 5K; and much more! Register as an individual or family.

Option 2: Business and Organization Registration

This option is for businesses and organizations who are interested in ADOPTING a specific park or trail. This component is a year-long commitment with monthly requirements of at least 16 hours, and must be tracked on the provided form. Groups who remain in good standing will receive citywide recognition, as well as branded signage at their specific location. The sign will recognize your group as the ADOPTER of this location, and it will remain up during the duration of your commitment. Register as a business or organization.

What is included with registration?

Participants will receive a P.O.P. supply kit, which will include litter sticks and a City-branded reusable litter pickup bag.

How do I track my hours?

Upon registration, all participants in both P.O.P. offerings will receive guided Excel spreadsheets with instructions on tracking and logging hours.

Event Highlights

* Volunteer at your own pace and assist in keeping Dublin clean and green.

* Adopt a specific park or trail and receive recognition citywide.

* Track all of your hours with our guided Excel spreadsheets for a chance to win amazing prizes.

* Free and open to all ages

For more information, visit www.dublin.ca.gov/POP.

Make an Emergency "Go Kit"

Every member of the family should have an Emergency Preparedness kit. Emergency Preparedness kits should be made or purchased for your home, car, and office to provide food, water, tools, and medical supplies for a minimum of 3-5 days following an earthquake or other major community disaster. Learn what to put in your "go kit."

A little bit of time and money is worth the feeling of security, knowing you will be prepared, should disaster strike.

Other important tips:

* Determine a family meeting place in case you are separated in the event of an emergency

* Plan your escape routes in case of fire or earthquake and practice with your family members

* Don't forget to make a plan for your family pets

Zonehaven

Through the combined Zonehaven and AC Alert technology—and public participation— Alameda County Fire Department and other first-responder agencies are able to target emergency communication and the movement of people more effectively and efficiently during wildfires, earthquakes, and other types of natural and human-caused emergencies and disasters. The evacuation zones are created using factors that include weather, traffic flows, street design, historical disaster data, geography, and more. If evacuations are necessary, specific zones will be designated by first responders and broadcast through emergency alert systems. Learn Your Zone! Residents can view their zone by entering their address at community.zonehaven.com. It is a good idea to bookmark this page so that you can refer to it easily.

Sign up for Emergency Alerts

* Sign up for AC Alert and Nixle to receive emergency notifications.

* Subscribe to City of Dublin news flashes and emergency alerts at https://www.dublin.ca.gov/list.aspx, and our social media accounts: Twitter (@DublinPIO); Facebook (@CityofDublinCA); and Instagram (@CityofDublinCA).

* Visit Ready.gov for additional emergency preparation tips.

The Eastern Alameda County Human Service Needs Assessment has made some exciting progress since launching the work in 2022. Most recently, the group has embarked on a series of qualitative data collection initiatives with the facilitation and support of the Eastern Alameda Power and Action Committee (EAPAC). The EAPAC is a small and diverse group of Tri-Valley community members who support community connections and help ensure community voice is present throughout the Needs Assessment.

With the original goal of engaging 113 individuals, the qualitative work has engaged 228 individuals and counting, more than double the original goal. This has been done through an intentional and iterative process that included key information and stakeholder interviews, focus groups, in-person surveying, intercept surveys, and small group conversations. The Needs Assessment team is now wrapping up the final qualitative data collection and transitioning to analyzing the data collected. In the next few months, they'll work alongside the three cities, the Steering Committee (executive staff from Alameda County and non-profit service providers), and the EAPAC to organize and prioritize short-term and long-term strengths, needs, and opportunities related to Human Services in the Tri-Valley. It is anticipated that Human Service Commissioners will receive a draft report at a three-City joint meeting in November, with the final report being shared with each City’s respective City Council in early 2024. More specific information on the project status can be found at www.mytrivalley.org.