Downtown Hayward - A Morning Walk
A good-mood Wednesday morning around City Hall and B Street: landmarks, storefronts, people out early, and a man steam-cleaning the sidewalk who wanted to see the photos.
- Date
- Wed, Nov 4, 2026
- Hours
- 8:26 – 9:24 a.m.
- Light
- Clear and sunny, low morning sun
- Gear
- Nikon D7500, 18-200mm
- Frames
- 112 shot · 16 here
- Where
- BART, City Hall and B Street, downtown Hayward
I wanted a representative morning in downtown Hayward: the landmarks, the businesses and restaurants, and whoever was out. I was in a good mood the whole way, said good morning to just about everyone, and had a good time.
I parked next to the BART station, right behind City Hall, took a few shots there, then sat on a bench for a while and let the morning come to me. From there I walked over to the back of City Hall: the plaza, the arches and the memorial statue.
Then I went around to the front and up and down B Street. This is the part that let me down, and it's only my impression from one walk. City Hall looks clean enough, but through the windows it looked empty, even with people walking in. The fountain out front, where we used to bring the kids to play, has no water now and is fenced off. And B Street, the main street right next to City Hall, should be the brightest, cleanest street in town. It's average, with fixes here and there and too many empty storefronts.
None of that spoiled the morning. A man was steam-cleaning the sidewalk, and I took a few shots of him; the cover is one of them. He saw the picture, liked it, and asked where he could see the rest. I'm usually not one to talk to strangers while I shoot, but that day I did, and it was a good day.
