In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Point Isabel was closed for two months. To open the park safely, East Bay Regional Park District made the bridge over the Hoffman channel, which connects Point Isabel with the north side, one-way-at-a-time because people crossing in opposite directions can’t stay six feet from one another. That change has now been made permanent on the narrow bridge. The pandemic showed that one-way-at-a-time offers benefits without being much of an Inconvenience. People rarely have to wait more than a minute to cross. Please be aware of groups of people walking together. Allow others time to finish crossing, and wait six feet back from the bridge entrance to give them and their dogs a little space.

A leading pet travel and lifestyle brand has just named Point Isabel Regional Shoreline as the best dog park in California. BringFido, a website and mobile apps that connect millions of pet owners around the globe with more than 500,000 pet friendly places, published a roundup of the best place in every state to let your best friend loose:

“Your pooch is invited to join the half million canines who visit Point Isabel Regional Shoreline Dog Park in Richmond every year. This huge space is one of the most epic dog parks in the U.S. and boasts more than 50 acres of land on the eastern edge of San Francisco Bay. Explore several looping trails that hug Hoffman Channel and offer scenic overlooks of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin County and Brooks Island. After rolling around in the mud, Fido can clean up at the on-site Mud Puppy’s Tub and Scrub.”

Point Isabel Regional Shoreline’s mini forest got some Tender Loving Care on Earth Day weekend from 18 volunteers including PIDO members and the UC Berkeley Prytanean Women's Honor Society. The hardworking crew mulched some two dozen young trees along a large swath adjacent to the bike path.

East Bay Regional Park District supervisor Scott Possin provided wheel barrows, shovels, rakes, hoes, and rich landscaping know-how. As the trees grow, they will soften the industrial view of the U.S. Post Office’s bulk mail distribution center. Thank you to PIDO board members Jon Gross, Mary Barnsdale, Priscilla Hoffman, Penny Green, and Chris Matthews for organizing the mulching party, to EBPRD for supporting the event, and to everyone who pitched in. PIDO holds weed pulls and cleanups as part of its commitment to keep Point Isabel clean, safe, and off-leash for all to enjoy.