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The Chabot Offi cially Reopens to the Public

It’s offi cial! The Chabot is fi nally Reopened to the public. This past weekend, The Chabot hosted their fi rst VibeCheck Arts and Music Showcase. It was the fi rst time the theater was used for a community based concert in which they had the chance to empower fi rst time local artists to display their works to the public and a chance for musicians to experience how to build a show. The main intention of VibeCheck is to inspire other businesses to open up their spaces for local artists, musicians, and anyone of all walks of life to have an opportunity to showcase what they’re passionate about in hopes to inspire others and build a supportive and appreciative community within their respective cities and towns. Last Friday, The Chabot also held their fi rst Local’s only Film Festival in which they screened over 13 different short fi lms made by local fi lm makers all over the Bay Area. Since the inception of The Chabot in 1948, It has always played a huge part of the Castro Valley Community’s families for a place of entertainment. “We want to keep this theater going to preserve our history and create a new culture fi lled with hope and inspiration to all who come in. We can’t survive without you. It’s hard to make it in the movie industry with a single screen so please choose us, include us in your event functions, and birthday parties. We want to be a special place for the community to enjoy and we promise to serve you with grace, love, and care.” The Chabot Theater’s mission is telling stories and creating experiences that connect us to ourselves, each other, and our world.

Legacy: A True Castro Valley Legend

continued from page 3 Since Larry’s passing, his family has been fl ooded with stories and acts of kindness that Larry did behind the scenes. “Our mom was a loyal customer at Al’s Market, shared Nancy Teixeira. “She loved telling people about the time she was leaving the store and her car wouldn’t start! Larry stepped in and told her ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll just give you and your groceries a ride home.’ And he did. That’s the kind of gentleman he was.” Customer Cella Whitehouse shared, “Larry was always smiling, always helpful, always infusing joy into the day of those he encountered. The best way to memorialize Larry is to treat one another the way he treated others…with kindness, love, and respect.” Jerry Weinmeister, the owner of Al’s Market, called Larry ‘The Jammer’ because he was always moving, helping, serving, and working to keep the store in tip-top shape for the customers. Whenever a customer entered Al’s with children in tow, it was not uncommon for Larry to cut a slice of salami or cheese and hand it to the child. Larry had the capacity to interact with people of all ages which made him a real asset to the market and a genuine soul to everyone he met. When he wasn’t working, Larry was often found tinkering in his garage or doing chores for his neighbors. True to his Italian heritage, also enjoyed surprising friends and family with freshly picked fruits and vegetables, especially lemons and persimmons. During the shelter-in-place, he made the best of being quarantined by making all-natural bird feeders which he gave away as gifts to special people in his life. “Larry was an integral part in the evolution of C.V.,” shared Erik Vogel, a resident. Larry will remain an integral part of the fabric of Castro Valley, helping to shape its vivid history. He lived in the same home for over 65 years. Larry was old school, a wild west cowboy at heart. In many ways, he was a common man with an uncommon, tenacious desire to stay focused on the things that mattered most. Larry loved life and lived it to the fullest. As he aged, he never lost his passion for people—especially his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. When asked about what he wanted most in life, his answer was always the same: “I just want to be with my family.” Young and old, near and far, Larry will be deeply missed—a true Castro Valley legend.

MAC: Update on the Old CV Library

continued from front page but stands do remain for things like parking, setbacks, and landscaping. “The state has changed some of the rules on us,” said Rodrigo Orduna, assistant planning director with the county. “If someone proposed an additional unit of 800-square-feet or less, there is very little we can impose.” SB9 projects come down to a simple yes or no as to whether they comply. There will be no Environmental Quality requirement (CEQA), no public hearings, not notifying neighbors, though in some cases there will be HOA (homeowners association) approval necessary. MAC member Chuck Moore said he felt this new law could be benefi cial in the Castro Valley’s agricultural areas where there is more land to build, and owners would have to deal with less red tape on their own properties. Also at Monday’s meeting, the MAC unanimously approved an application to operate an equestrian facility/ riding academy at 24977 Palomares Road.

Old Castro Valley Library In other MAC news, the council met on Tuesday, February 22 (following the President’s Day holiday) and held an informational meeting featuring an update on the old Castro Valley Library. Just what should be done with the library site has been a hot topic for years- the building at 20555 Redwood Road has been vacant since 2009. In March of 2020, the county Board of Supervisors transferred responsibility for the site from the General Services Agency to the Community Development Agency (CDA) and directed the CDA to consider using the location for affordable housing for veterans. In the interim two years, the CDA engaged an architecture fi rm to assess the site, hired an economics fi rm to see if mixed-use was feasible for the site, and hired a separate historic architecture fi rm to prepare a historic resource evaluation of the old library site. The result of the initial study showed that a mixed-use development was possible, but it would have to be very dense and tall. Additionally, the historic architecture fi rm found that the site is eligible for the California Historic Register. To demolish the old library would trigger a need to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and various complications. The cost of the EIR would typically go to the housing developer, which may make the project less appealing to potential developers. Also, the property is currently zoned for “public facilities” so re-use as a residential development would trigger a rezoning and General Plan Amendment. The CDA has met with Castro Valley Veterans groups throughout the process and the group has indicated to the CDA that they would at least like use of the existing building for veterans’ services. The next steps in the process will be to have the CDA share this information with the Unincorporated Services Committee, the county Transportation and Planning Commissions, and fi nally the Board of Supervisors.