Dear Path Wanderers,

In May 1998, Berkeley Path Wanderers Association was launched by four visionary women: Ruth Armstrong, Jacque Ensign, Eleanor Hall Gibson, and Pat DeVito. Next year, we will celebrate 25 years of unwavering commitment to building, maintaining, and improving Berkeley’s beloved paths, stairways, and walkways. The dedication of our volunteers and enthusiastic support of path lovers like you makes all of this terrific work possible. THANK YOU!

2022 was another busy and productive year for the Berkeley paths! The achievements of our 100% volunteer-run organization included collaborating with Berkeley Public Works to repair and add handrails to several paths; repairing 3 paths; hosting 20 path maintenance work parties and 34 free walks; and developing a wish list for comprehensive path improvements.

The following are full highlights from our work to improve paths in 2022:

Continuing our fruitful collaboration with the Berkeley Public Works Department, we guided the spending of $200,000 in T1 bond funds and $100,000 in city funds. This work included much-needed repairs to Florida Walk, Fountain Walk, La Vereda/Virginia Steps; installing new handrails on Vincente Walk (completed), Visalia Walk and Tunbridge Lane (in progress), and Tamalpais Path and Upper Orchard Path (planned); replacing dozens of path signs; and doing preliminary geological studies to build Upper Columbia Path.

Raising funds to purchase 3 to 4 new handrails (installation has been delayed by supply-chain and labor challenges).
Cheering on our all-volunteer path-building crew as they made substantial repairs to Oak Street Path, Cedar Path, and the path in Glendale-LoLama Park.
Hosting 20 paths maintenance work parties (above, board member Bob Johnson) and collaborating with Berkeley Fire Department to on identifying paths for vegetation management to reduce wildfire danger.
Advocating for traffic safety improvements on Marin Avenue, after our co-founder, Jacque Ensign, was struck by a car in a crosswalk (she is recovering well).
Honoring our co-founder Ruth Armstrong, who passed away early in the year.
Receiving a grant from Commotion West Berkeley to commission a mural in Jeronimus Alley in West Berkeley.
Developing a wish list with the City of Berkeley paths “budget” for comprehensive path improvements, including repairs, building new paths on public rights-of-way, handrails, lighting, and wayfinding (in case you’re wondering, it added up to $5 million…).
Launching exciting new BPWA swag – bucket hats!
Hosting a T-shirt design contest for our 25th anniversary.
Welcoming eight outstanding new board members: Jane Andersen, Stephanie Bodoff, Bob Gomez, Tamara Gurin, Bob Johnson, Madeleine Kahn, Kathy Moreno, and Jennifer Pellman.
Hosting 34 (free!) walks, including our popular and very fun path-a-thon. Please join us for a walk (or 2, or 3, or 10) this year!

We’re going to celebrate our 25th anniversary with a bang, and we sincerely hope you’ll join us!

Activities we’re planning include:

Publishing the 10th edition of the best map of Berkeley, now in color!
Launching an ambitious art-on-the-paths project.
Developing and distributing a comprehensive history of our organization.
Offering a path-walking challenge, with prizes!
Hosting a community celebration in conjunction with our 5-year All-Paths Survey.

Many of you who have donated in the past few years will be receiving, or have already received, a solicitation letter in the mail. If you’re on our email list and have never donated, please consider a contribution In honor of our silver jubilee. Your donations help us purchase more handrails and keep our work going strong for another quarter-century and beyond!

Winning T-shirt design, by Marlene Tobias

In honor of our 25th anniversary, we are offering the following bonuses with year-end donations. All donations of $250 or more will receive a beautiful full-color T-shirt featuring a design created especially for BPWA by local artist Marlene Tobias (left).

$150+ – Paths Pride: 10th edition of map

$250+ – Stepping Up for Paths: Commemorative T-shirt, map, cocktail party invitation

$1,000+ – Paths Powerhouse: T-shirt, 5 maps, cocktail party invitation

$2,500+ – Quarter Century Club: 3 T-shirts, 10 maps, cocktail party invitation, and Walk with the President

Please go to www.berkeleypaths.org/donate to donate online and (add “BPWA” to the notes). Make checks payable to Berkeley Partners for Parks (our fiscal sponsor) and write “BPWA” in the memo line.

With deep gratitude, on behalf of the BPWA board,