Columbia Garage Fire

On May 9, Alameda County Firefighters extinguished this blaze at a 2-story home on Bellhurst Lane in Castro Valley in the Columbia neighborhood. Crews responded to a report of a fire in the garage but found the structure engulfed in smoke and flame. Officials say the fire was contained in less than 20 minutes. There were no injuries to the two people at the home. Resident Eric Strobehn told the Forum that the home sits close to the Chabot to Garin Regional trail and that the fire threatened the nearby hills and canyons but that firefighters were able to keep the flames contained to just the house.

He said that revenue and ridership both dropped during the pandemic, making the agency cut back on lines and service. Fortunately for AC Transit, though, it relies much less on passenger fares for its revenue than BART and other transit operators, he said.

Federal pandemic emergency funding is running out, though, said McCalley. This will result in a drop in revenue even if passengers begin to return.

The biggest obstacle to restoring service, though, is not money. It is drivers, McCalley said.

“This fiscal year, which is about to end, we had a goal of 100 percent service restored but couldn’t find enough drivers,” he explained. This is despite the job paying a decent salary, with good benefits and a pension, which is harder to find these days, he added.

The AC Transit director said Castro Valley was a bit underserved by buses before the pandemic, especially the neighborhoods furthest from downtown.

Now it is served by only two lines, he said. Line 28 runs between the Bay Fair, Castro Valley, and Hayward BART stations, with a loop into the Seven Hills neighborhood, while Line 93 runs between the Castro Valley and Hayward BART stations.

McCalley said he faces a long walk himself from his Castro Valley home to the nearest bus line. He hopes the survey will let AC Transit know who needs to be served, where, and in what ways. Besides buses, there are possibilities for various forms of micro-transit, using smaller vehicles.

He urged everyone to take the survey, saying, “I need your feedback. We need to redesign the system.”

“Use your imagination. Don’t be limited to what you can see now,” McCalley advised.

What’s not doable right now may become practical as future funding measures are put on the ballot or passed by the legislature, he noted.

Axe of Greatness

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Chili Cookoff was cancelled this year but that didn’t stop the Castro Valley Rotary Club from throwing an awesome rodeo-themed event for the entire community. The first ever BBQ, Axes & Brew event took place this past Friday, May 12, and attendees competed in axe throwing and sampled some of the finest BBQ this side of Texas! There was also live music, beer on tap, wine, and more. See many more photos online: mycvforum.com