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Contra Costa County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
Smart Voter

Developing and improving areas for tourism

By Kevin Romick

Candidate for Council Member; City of Oakley

This information is provided by the candidate
Eco-tourism plays an important role in the City's economy. Oakley is becoming the premier destination for bass fishing on the West Coast. The western delta presents the finest year-round bass fishing to be found in the West.
Big Break Regional Shoreline, a 1,648-acre mostly-offshore piece of the Delta is one of the newest additions to the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). Big Break Regional Shoreline features multiple trails, an observation/fishing pier, a kayak launch, parking, rest rooms, and the Big Break Visitor Center on the Delta
The Marsh Creek Trail, which winds through Creek Side Park in Brentwood to the shores of the San Joaquin River in Oakley, will connects with the Big Break trails. It will be part of a greater trail system that will stretch from the oak draped foothills of Mt Diablo (Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and Round Valley Regional Park) to the shores of the Delta at Big Break. These trails and others planned in Oakley will be part of the Great California Delta Trail which will link the San Francisco Bay Trail system and planned Sacramento trails in Yolo and Sacramento counties to present and future trails in and around the Delta.
The City, with a $1,067,550 grant from the California River Parkways Program, is creating a creek side environment along Marsh Creek. This will create approximately 2,400 linear feet of trail along Marsh Creek at Creekside Park in Oakley.
Oakley still has vineyards; most have been here since the late 1800's. Early Portuguese and Italian immigrants found a climate reminiscent of the Mediterranean one they left behind and planted thousands of acres of vineyards. Some of the oldest, over a 100 years old and rarest grapevines in California are still producing here in Oakley.
Today, due to past diseases and development encroachment the acreage has dropped dramatically. However, there remain pockets of vineyards located throughout our community. These vineyards plant varietals such as Ancient Vine Carignane, Rose Peru, Tokay, Rhône, Ancient Vine Mourvedre and Ancient Vines Zinfandel. The majority of these grapes are shipped out of Oakley to wineries owned by Cline and Rosenblum.
To ensure that viticulture is not left in the dust bins of history the City is taking steps to retain an active grape industry. The City has contracted with the Agricultural - Natural Trust for assistance in developing the Oakley Agricultural Conservation & Viticulture Program. Some of the programs goals include: develop an "inventory" of agricultural parcels; form and ask assistance from a Growers Advisory Forum; hold a series of Community Workshops and develop potential funding mechanisms for conserving agricultural parcels.

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