East Bay Regional Park District — Local services in Oakland

So far I've had a very pleasant experience with East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), specifically their Administration Headquarters. After visiting a few parks near our home, I gave their website a visit, along with their social media accounts, and it seems so fun and exciting! I feel like I want to hit a park, hit a trail after work everyday!

They also have a free Trails Challenge, for which they offer a free t-shirt! And when you submit a completed trail activity log, you can receive a free pin as well! This challenge starts in January I believe, free shirts were available at any visitor center. Well, being that it's now June, I was pretty bummed as I was sure the shirts would all be gone! But, I took a chance and hit them up via 'Contact Us' on their website, and a Public Affairs person replied with an email saying they had some tucked away at headquarters and I could pick one up! Well, I'm a happily married man and my wife needs one too! No problem they said.

So today I shot out there, picked up 2 shirts being held under my name (yayyy!! thank you!), picked up 2 free calendars (one for the wifey, of course!), and hardcopy maps for all the parks around us, boy are there LOTS! Looking forward to getting well familiar with the local parks; I even signed up to volunteer with the district, like I said, very exciting! Maybe when our first born arrives, we'll even pay for membership! Time...

Right in your backyard is an untapped vast expanse of giant oaks and green hills. A labyrinth of trails is waiting for you to explore. At first, you might be intimidated (Oh, there's so many to choose from!) yet I guarantee you will find peace and relaxation-- you just need to go. Whether you are up on the hillsides, between the trees, beside the creeks, or under soaring hawks, you will be grateful for the East Bay Regional Park District. In all the United States there is not a urban geographic region with as much protected permanent open...

So frustrated with how the Iron Horse Trail closure was handled on 7/29/16. General signs that the trail will be closed for improvement June 2016 - present is not sufficient. Pls give a day or better yet weeks warning. I took the trail to work that AM. It was closed for repairs that PM. No warning. The person I spoke to in a EB Reg Prk truck told me the info was on the web site. Not helpful. He also said they couldn't always plan work dates ahead of time due...