Bubbling Beauty

For the umpteenth time, the fountain at El Rancho STEAK House was soaped again yesterday. And for the umpteenth time, Your Boulevardier has decided to report on it.



Perhaps this particular bit of mischief attracts Your Boulevardier's eye because soaping a fountain is one of the few harmless pranks -- one might say acts of vandalism -- that he played in his all-too-tame adolescence. (The steakhouse fountain did not exist then, of course; his soaping was done to the waterworks, now a planter, by the Hayward Public Library.)

This fountain, it's believed, does not contain ichthyic life, even though it is maintained by Connie's Pond & Garden -- just up the Boulevard -- which also sells fish. So perhaps the occasional spate of suds is not a bad thing. Certainly, it's a hassle for the good Rancheros. But it also certainly can be day-brightening to a pedestrian passer-by.

More Window Vandalism

Your Boulevardier notes that a large window at Eden Bicycles in Castro Village was boarded up yesterday afternoon. Asking in the shop about the circumstances, he learned that nothing was taken from the store; the vandals simply broke the window and ran. So the spree continues, but has now moved off the Boulevard.

Post-Holiday Blues ... and Reds

On his walk today Your Boulevardier noticed several broken windows on Castro Valley Boulevard. Specifically, a window at Crush Comics was boarded up, and a window and two glass doors at Direct Sales were secured with plywood or tape and awaiting repair. It's a shame to think that holiday revels in Castro Valley got so out of hand that vandalism was the result, but it so appears. Do readers have any more information about these happenings?

By way of contrast, nature was having none of the human-caused havoc. The morning skies were clear and cold, and the few remaining leaves and berries on deciduous plants were calling for attention, as evidenced by these fruits appearing on a shrub on Redwood Road.



The clear winter weather just begs for long, objective-free walking, in the opinion of Yours Truly. It (the weather, that is) is not supposed to last; off-and-on rain is predicted for the rest of the week. Your Boulevardier has professional work to catch up on, and so, in a way, he hopes the inclement weather comes; it will force him to stay at his desk and complete the projects before the New Year arrives.

Down In The Dumps

On a Monday walk from Chez Boulevardier to downtown, Your Boulevardier encountered an illegal dumpsite on Norbridge Avenue, just west of Nunes Avenue. Returning to the scene yesterday, the detritus was still there. (Not that it would get up and remove itself.) Your Boulevardier apologizes for the poor quality of the photo.



Your Boulevardier and Mon Petit Chou, who was making a rare-but-welcome weekday visit, discussed the circumstances that could lead to a person dumping two couches, a bed, a pallet, and other miscellaneous refuse on a public street. Certainly, a trip to the dump can be costly, but the Castro Valley Sanitary District offers a free bulky pickup once a year. Perhaps timing and finances were the issue: the dumper had been evicted from his home and had nowhere to take the stuff, and no money to deal with the problem. Chances are the truth will never be known, in this particular case.

Regardless of the circumstances, dumping on a public street is a selfish, wasteful, uncivilized way to deal with refuse. Clearly the perpetrator knew this, because he dumped his junk in a dark, untrafficked stretch of road with no residences on either side.

Park Renovations Underway

A little over a month ago, Your Boulevardier lamented the condition of the park on Castro Valley Boulevard that includes Castro Valley Creek. One of the architectural elements had been damaged, and some homeless men were noted to be engaged in a loud, profane fight. Your Boulevardier wondered if the park would get more attention with the opening of the new library.

Well, lo and behold, the park is being renovated. It was noted this morning that some trees and shrubbery have been removed; surveyors' stakes around the property indicate, perhaps, the position of landscape features to come. Several massive boulders have been moved onto the property (they're not visible in this photo), indicating perhaps that the naturalistic landscaping theme being used along the creek near the library will be continued to this park.



Your Boulevardier still does not envy the crew that will need to reassemble the bollard.

Determined Vandals

It's safe to say that those who commit vandalism are generally considered to be lacking in ambition. But not the vandals in Castro Valley. Check out this bit of destruction done to the mini-park at Castro Valley Creek (near KFC).



It appears to Your Boulevardier that the vandals constructed a ramp of concrete blocks and a plastic shelf in order to remove the immense -- and immensely heavy - spherical finial from the bollard.

One does not envy the crew that needs to put this to rights.

This park seems, to Your Boulevardier, to be a trouble spot generally. Last week he encountered two homeless men fighting there. The park is usually littered with trash and shopping carts, and is not generally trafficked by aficionados of the creek. It will be interesting to see if that changes when the Library opens.