The Creek Beat: Two Debuts That Make Me Smile

Two things opened on Saturday that made my weekend.

The Caldecott Tunnel fourth bore is a permanent fix to a 50-year-old problem while the Walnut Creek ice rink is a festive, scenic reminder the holiday season is around the corner.

I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday afternoon for the Caldecott's new tunnel.

As far as I'm concerned, the $417 million bore is worth every penny.

I have loathed the Caldecott Tunnel ever since I moved to Contra Costa County in 1977.

How many times have all of us started cussing or slapped our hand against the steering wheel as we've approached the tunnel and seen those four lanes in our direction narrowing down to two.

Rep. George Miller and state Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan both described those scenarios well at Friday's ribbon cutting.

Well, no more.

The fourth bore won't eliminate all traffic jams, especially during commute times.

However, it will eliminate the unnecessary traffic jams in the late morning and early afternoon on the side with only one tunnel open.

My main question is... why did it take a half-century from the time the third bore opened in 1964 to build this fourth bore?

On a different front, I also went to the Walnut Creek ice rink on Friday, three hours after it officially opened.

There were a handful of folks there, mostly young people, enjoying the smooth ice and pleasant music.

I drove by again while doing errands on Saturday afternoon. The children's winter festival was in full swing with the rink packed and a line around the corner.

I will visit the rink on a number of occasions before it closes on Jan. 12. I won't skate much, if at all. I simply like to listen to the music and watch the skaters glide, or sometimes stumble, by.

There is something about this rink set on the edge of Civic Park that brings a smile to my face.

Perhaps it's the simplicity of the rink. Perhaps it's the enjoyment on people's faces. Perhaps it's the frosty, friendly atmosphere in the midst of a busy town.

I guess I know that if the rink is open, then Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't too far away.