El Cerrito Trail Trekkers
By Shelly Provost
Have you ever been walking through El Cerrito,
seen an interesting trail winding off into the
distance, and wondered where it went and who
created it? Chances are that Dave Weinstein, Founder of
El Cerrito Trail Trekkers, had something to do with it.
Dave, a longtime resident of El Cerrito, liked to take walks
through the town and explore new paths. He often could
see interesting areas but there was no way to get to them.
In 2009 Dave started the El Cerrito Trail Trekkers. As its
membership grew, the Trekkers developed into a nonprofit
group dedicated to preserve, improve and extend the city’s
network of public pathways, stairs, trails and greenways for
pedestrian and bicycle use.
Dave says “A city needs things in it that are unique, or
at least unusual, and appealing. The Hillside Natural Area
is such a beautiful, special place. And the other trails and
stairways, it is just special to have walkways where you can
walk on mysterious little paths.”
16 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM JULY 2018
Alina Constantinescu leads the Trail Trekkers on a hike
The Trekkers advocate for increased public open space,
and sponsor activities that involve trails and open space,
including hikes, festivals, and other educational events.
As a testament to the Trekkers determination,
they teamed with the city of El Cerrito and other
neighborhood groups to purchase an eight-acre piece
of land, known as the Madera Property. This parcel
forms a critical bridge between the North and South
Hillside Nature Area and is now forever protected against
development.
What has to be one of the most fun parts of being a
Trail Trekker is the wonderful hikes they go on. Alina
Constantinescu led a group of Trekkers for a one-hour
hike through the Albany Hill area. Alina, an experienced
hiking guide, is very knowledgeable about the area. As the
hike progressed, she pointed out native and non-native
plants, and the grinding holes left by the Ohlone tribes
Founder Dave Weinstein and
Communication director Mollie Hazen