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February 2014 Museum of the San Ramon Valley: Preserving and Promoting Our Heritage By Jody Morgan
In 1983, when the San Ramon Valley Historical Society created a committee to analyze the logistics of establishing a local museum, the problem being confronted was enormous. The entire San Ramon Valley (the Valley) had only 2,120 residents in 1940. By 1980, Danville alone had more than 12 times that number and the census indicated that 82 percent of those individuals had moved into town since 1970. How do you motivate people without multigenerational ties to the locale to preserve the area’s historic heritage and protect the cultural character of the community for future generations? Following the committee’s recommendation, a separate nonprofit organization was formed. On February 27, 1985, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley (MusSRV) held its first meeting. Although the goal was to collect and preserve documents and artifacts, provide a research library, mount exhibits and deBeverly Lane and Jerry Warren discuss one of the albums velop educational programs, in the Museum of San Ramon Valley archives. MusSRV initially had no building of its own to house the archives and displays. The first phase of the Board’s five-year plan called for visiting local history museums throughout the East Bay to learn from their strengths and weaknesses.
Serving Alamo and Diablo Alamo MAC Tackling Downtown Traffic, Pedestrian Safety Issues By Sharon Burke
The Alamo Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) has formed a subcommittee on downtown traffic and pedestrian safety issues which has met twice recently to review possible solutions to improve pedestrian safety in the downtown area. Pedestrian safety both downtown and at the three Alamo schools emerged as the top issue for Alamo residents in a series of community meetings conducted by County Public Works last summer. The input process was required by state law to revise the projects funded by the Alamo Area of Benefit Fund (Alamo AOB), monies generated by developer fees for new Alamo homes built since 1997.
A pedestrian navigates the intersection at Orchard Court.
At its January 21st meeting, Downtown AOB Subcommittee members David Bowlby (chair), David Barclay and Susan Rock reviewed presentations and maps from Public Works presenting a variety of solutions to downtown issues. Four alternatives were presented by Chris Lau of County Public Works. Alternative 1: Interim Median alternative - Would add striping to the Jackson Way intersection with Danville Boulevard to eliminate one lane of traffic at Jackson Way, preventing the “speed up” of cars approaching downtown from the north, where cars tend to speed up as the Boulevard changes from one lane to two lanes at Jackson Way. This speeding has proven a problem for residents living off Jackson Way to safely traverse the crosswalk. (Cost: $8,000) Alternative 2: Median Islands and Curb Extensions - This proposal would extend the curbs at Alamo Plaza and Stone Valley Center and add concrete medians in the Boulevard to narrow the Boulevard and eliminate what is commonly known as the “suicide lane,” The Museum of the San Ramon Valley also serves as a visitor information center for the valley. the two way turn lane in the middle of The MusSRV Board of Trustees elected Beverly Lane as their first President. the Boulevard. (Cost: $1.2 million) Lane, who served on Danville’s original town council in 1982, had just completed Volume XIV - Number 2 Alternative 3: Signalization of 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, the first of her three terms as Mayor. Writing about her work in Vintage Danville, Orchard Court and Main Entrance to Alamo, CA 94507 Lane recalls: “For me, promoting a sense of community and preserving Danville’s Alamo Plaza - This alternative would Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 historic buildings was a major goal. The first town council shared this vision, which provide a full traffic signal light with Fax (925) 406-0547 See Museum continued on page 24 left turn lanes both northbound and Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher PRSRT STD southbound. This alternative would Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com U.S. Postage require moving the entrance of Alamo Sharon Burke ~ Writer PAID Local Plaza several feet to the north to align sburke@yourmonthlypaper.com Permit 263 opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Postal Customer the entrance to the Plaza with Orchard The Alamo CA not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising Court. (Cost: $1.1 million) ECRWSS herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
See Traffic continued on page 23