No matter where in the world you grew up, chances are a creek trickles through your childhood memories.

Our most vivid experiences of nature often take place during childhood¾near muddy, humble creeks that flow unnoticed through weed-choked stretches of field near our homes. Whether we live in a bucolic rural area, a sprawling suburb, or a densely populated inner city, our youthful experience of creeks transforms our relationship with nature for the rest of our lives.

Creeks lose much of their allure for adults, whose childhood memories may be replaced by a cost-benefit analysis of a creek’s usefulness to the community. Those early memories are likely to come flooding back, however, when the existence of a nearby creek is placed at risk.

Plans to Bury the Creek
In 1997, Lisa Viani and Maryann Aberg formed Friends of Baxter Creek in response to such a threat from the owners of Lucky Market, who announced plans to expand their grocery store on top of the creek at the border of El Cerrito and Richmond. Baxter Creek and its surroundings had been designated as a "wetland" by the California Department of Fish and Game, but the proposed development would have buried the creek beneath a 65,000-square-foot grocery store and parking lot.

Negotiations with Lucky Market
FOBC negotiated with Lucky Market representatives throughout 1998 and was able to deter them from expanding their store on top of the creek. The grocery store chain was sold to Albertson’s in mid-1999, however, and this company appeared to be interested in continuing with Lucky's expansion plans.

By then over 950 members strong, FOBC joined forces with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, National Park Service, Urban Creeks Council, Waterways Restoration Institute, The Watershed Project (formerly the Aquatic Outreach Institute), and Community Youth Council for Leadership and Education (CYCLE) to extend the Ohlone Greenway along a restored Baxter Creek and revitalize the El Cerrito/Richmond Gateway.

Coastal Conservancy Grant
In October 2000, FOBC applied for a grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy to acquire the property south of Albertson's and worked with the City of El Cerrito and property owners Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad for two years to facilitate this purchase. On September 26, 2002, the Coastal Conservancy approved a $350,000 grant, and on November 18, 2002, the El Cerrito City Council voted unanimously to accept this grant and kick in matching funds of $50,000.

At a Gateway Design Workshop in 2004, the community shared its ideas for design of the area. For Allen Green's Conceptual Design for the North Gateway site, see our Restorations page.

In August 2005, funding from the State Water Resources Control Board, Coastal Conservancy, and City of El Cerrito began to transform this neglected lot near San Pablo and MacDonald Avenues into a lovely neighborhood park, with an extension of the Ohlone Greenway along the creek.

Inappropriate Development
Now that our campaign to save Baxter Creek at this site is over, we'd like to thank everyone who helped oppose the expansion of Albertson's on top of the creek at this important gateway between the cities of El Cerrito and Richmond.

We've always maintained that inappropriate development is the principal threat to the livability of our community, and we're happy that the people of El Cerrito understand that a restored creek can be integrated into an innovative plan for revitalizing the area without destroying open space, creating new seismic risks, damaging property from flooding and erosion, disrupting traffic patterns, or raising crime rates.

Open space near the border of El Cerrito and Richmond is rapidly disappearing. Thanks to your support, as this area becomes covered with buildings and pavement, preservation and restoration of Baxter Creek at the gateway between these two cities will define our values for years to come.

FOBC Goals
FOBC's prioritized goals are listed below in three categories:

Public Outreach Goals
Goal #1¾Facilitate neighborhoods to take ownership of Baxter Creek and encourage residents to be advocates for the creek through citizen activism:

• Stencil storm drains with specific Baxter Creek stencils and paint streets and sidewalks with pictures of fish, newts, and aquatic plants.
• Conduct a mapping project with artist Christopher Castle, which could be translated as murals on Mira Vista Alley, the retaining wall south of Albertson's, and the Interstate 80 overpass north of Taco Bell.
• Post watershed signs stating, "You are now entering the Baxter Creek Watershed."
• Work with Neighborhood Associations in Richmond and NEAT groups in El Cerrito.

• Produce detailed maps of the creek with the assistance of the cities of El Cerrito and Richmond and the County of Contra Costa.

• Enlist the cities' assistance in creating a database of creekside property owners and use this information to form an Association of Baxter Creek Homeowners.
• Send watershed residents a "How to Care for Your Creek" postcard.

• Conduct regular cleanups to help with trash disposal, with the assistance of the cities of El Cerrito and Richmond.
• Sponsor a "Get to Know Your Watershed Walk/Tour."

• Work with the cities to coordinate volunteer work days to care for the parks through which Baxter Creek runs.
• Encourage citizen policing of dumping and a proactive response by the cities, particularly at the problem area around the Gateway property.

• Adopt benches.
• Provide doggy bag dispensers.
• Advocate for more public restrooms.

Education Goals
Goal #1¾Work with children in the watershed to give them a sense of the magic and history of the creek and provide education on how to protect these resources:

• Coordinate after-school and summer-school programs at local schools to promote greater appreciation of the creek and its inhabitants.
• Work with teachers and parents at Prospect Sierra School.
• Produce a "History of Baxter Creek" booklet.

Wildlife and Natural Resource Goals
Goal #1¾Locate and protect existing native plant and animal populations in the watershed and encourage a greater appreciation of these resources:

• Produce interpretive signs about the Indian grinding rocks and native plants and animals at Mira Vista and Canyon Trail Parks.
• Educate watershed residents about native plants through a watershed walk of native plants, led by naturalist and FOBC member Jim McKissock.
• Produce a "Native Plants of the Baxter Creek Watershed" booklet.

• Carry out hands-on restoration projects in the Baxter Creek watershed, including propagation of local native plants.
• Form a core group to care for Canyon Trail Park.
• Connect with activities at Richmond's Mira Vista Field for propagation and wildlife activities.
• Hold a "Gardening for Wildlife" presentation to educate residents on how to turn their yards into wildlife sanctuaries.