As Fall comes rolling in, so does some of the very best weather of the year.  I mean, it’s Nice outside.  Capital N- Nice.  Those showers over the weekend were misplaced.

So, where to walk.  Where did you walk?  Maybe a trip to work for a change, BART, school?  Maybe you already walk all the time, but when it’s this nice out, take a minute to enjoy.  Yeah, I know, that can be hard…

… which is why we need WOBO, to make walking in Oaktown an enjoyable experience.  Imagine how easy it should be for you to walk around your neighborhood.  Well, the city changes what the city hears about.  Keep chiming in, with the city, your neighbors, and your family to get out, enjoy, and love this great time of year.

Well, we are back on the fall side of Labor Day and that means Oakland’s 50,000 kids are back in school.  Do you give much thought to HOW they get to school?   There has been extensive research on how kids no longer walk or bicycle to school, which is a real shame and a real problem.  We need to help make our childrens’ lives a little more active to fight off higher rates of obesity and the diabetes which follow.

 But how?

 One simple step Oakland can take is to identify a Safe Routes to Schools staff person.  This person would focus on coordinating with the school district and city staff, including OPD, to help make walking and bicycling to school safe and convenient.  Roads like Hegenberger and Park are difficult for children to cross.  San Francisco, by comparison, has a team of staffers working on this very issue.

 It’s time the City stepped up to help our kids!

write officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com