RichmondSFBlog reader Jim G. came upon this fallen soldier out in Lincoln Park near the golf course. I wonder if the high winds we had over Christmas took it down?

Sarah B.

Supervisor Mar’s interview with the Daily Show about the infamous “Happy Meal Ban” aired this week. Watch for yourself – as expected, it’s pretty funny.

Sarah B.

Photo by Elijah Ellis.

Got some great photos that you’ve taken at the Academy of Sciences? Here’s your chance to share them and maybe even win an exclusive behind-the-scenes photo safari at the museum.

From now until February 14, 2011, you can submit your photos into the Academy’s “Love Life” contest where they’ll be judged by top photo editors and experts, including Academy Executive Director Greg Farrington, and Russell Yip, SF Chronicle Photo Editor.

In addition to the top prize of a behind the scenes photo safari, winners will be selected for top photos in each of the five categories and win prizes. Categories for the Love Life contest include:

• Land life: butterflies, snakes, alligator… all life on land
• Aquatic life: fish, sea stars, coral… all life underwater
• Still life: architecture, dioramas, specimens, fossils… all that is inanimate
• Family life: people at the Academy
• NightLife: the Academy at night

Entering is easy – just post your high resolution photograph entries on the free photo sharing site Flickr.com and tag your photos with “academylovelife”. The slideshow above is photos that have already been submitted to the contest. Find out more

The awards presentation will take place in the Piazza at a NightLife event, where the winning images will be projected onscreen.

I entered some of the pics I took last year, but it looks like I’ve got some stiff competition!

Sarah B.

A conceptual, overhead rendering of the four renovated fields at Beach Chalet

Just before Christmas, I met with Patrick Hannan, the Director of Communications, Planning and Programs for City Fields Foundation (CFF) to check in on the status of the plans to renovate the Beach Chalet soccer fields.

Started by the Fisher family in 2006, CFF’s goal is to improve existing, public athletic facilities in and around San Francisco with upgrades like artificial turf and lighting. CFF works in conjunction with the San Francisco Rec & Parks Department and to date, they have sponsored and led the renovation of five athletic facilities including Crocker Amazon, Garfield and Silver Terrace.

After CFF’s success with their initial pilot programs, Beach Chalet was identified as the next, logical recipient of a makeover. Just during the fall season, more than 1,550 children and 600 adults use the fields on a weekly basis. And that’s just three fields they’re using, since one of the four playing fields at Beach Chalet is always closed for rest and regrowth. Not to mention the legions of gopher holes and other nasty ankle traps that litter the fields.

CFF’s plans to renovate Beach Chalet include converting the existing playing fields to artificial turf, adding lighting, renovating the restrooms, adding a small playground, repaving the parking area, and erecting new fencing and seating areas for spectators. The improvements would bring all four fields into use year-round and provide expanded hours into the early evening for more play.

Currently, the Beach Chalet fields can host 4,738 hours of annual play. The proposed renovations will add 9,582 hours of new play each year for soccer and lacrosse players.

An overhead view showing the renovated parking, playground and seating area.

From the start, Hannan says, there were important guidelines for the project because of its unique status. The first was that Beach Chalet is first and foremost athletic fields; not something that should be turned into a soccer megaplex. Secondly was that it’s located in Golden Gate Park so it needs to be in keeping with park standards – nothing like a sound system or flashing lights could be involved. “It has to fit in,” Hannan said.

The project was off to a good start. Back in April, the renovation was greenlighted by the Rec & Park Commission after nearly three hours of public comments from both sides of the issue. But this is San Francisco after all, so by May, Rec & Park bowed to the pressure of community groups and required CFF to provide a full environmental impact report.

The EIR process will cost the project $600,000 – that’s $200,000 in city fees plus $400,000 for a consultant. Hannan says the EIR decision was disappointing as it’s money that could be put towards other field renovations in the city, and it will delay the project by nearly two years when it’s all said and done.

The EIR is being worked on now. The first step will be a community meeting in early 2011 where interested parties can give input about what they think should be included in the study. The lighting towers have been one point of contention in the project, with opponents going so far as to claim that they will disrupt migrating birds that fly overhead, provide too much ambients light, and ruin sunset viewing at Ocean Beach.

In reality, the lighting towers will be 60 feet high, lower than the usual 70 to 80 foot towers that have been used in other CFF park renovations. At the 60 foot height, the light towers would barely be visible from outside the park.

Instead of tall bleachers, an 18-inch raised walkway featuring built-in spectator
benches runs across the center of the fields.

Other groups are concerned about the plans to remove some trees around the fields and the parking area. Hannan says two trees would be removed in the parking lot to accomodate 50% more parking. He says with the addition of a fourth field for play, Rec & Park felt the tree removal was warranted to prevent even more cars from parking up and down JFK Drive which adjoins the fields.

One of the biggest points of contention has been around the marquee item in the renovation, the artificial turf fields, which are made with old tires ground into small pellets and plastic blades that mimic real grass. Environmentalists voiced concerns about their effect on the wildlife around the fields, and nationally, there’s been outcry about the potential health hazards the turf presents for athletes.

Just this week, the SF Chronicle published results from a national study, concluding that there was no more risk with artificial turf than with natural:

The state’s study concluded that there are actually fewer bacteria on artificial turf fields compared with natural grass. State researchers did find some “volatile organic compounds” – such as lead and other heavy metals – in the air near the fields, but the presence of these toxins was so low that no public health concern was identified. And, because there was no relation between the surface temperature and the concentrations of those chemicals, the study’s author said there is no reason to recommend that field usage be limited when it’s hot. Read the full turf study here

However as the article points out, “Opponents of the Golden Gate Park plan are unlikely to be swayed by the study, because they are focusing their opposition more on the environmental impacts of replacing natural grass with plastic and rubber fields, and of installing lights in the open space.” One of those opponents is a group called Ocean’s Edge.

They’ll have to wait for the conclusions from the EIR, the first draft of which should be completed by mid-2011. That’s when the public will get its first look and anyone can comment; project organizers are required to address any comments or questions that are submitted. It’s expected that it will take until February 2012 to certify the final EIR. That’s not including time to deal with any appeals that might be filed by neighborhood groups.

With the new timeline, CFF anticipates construction on the new fields would begin in August 2012, wth the new Beach Chalet fields re-opening in July 2013.

For more information on the Beach Chalet project, visit the City Fields Foundation website or view the project plan here (note that the schedule in the presentation has not been updated).

Sarah B.

Hugh at ob-kc.com sent me this photo collection he put together – a great surprise on a rainy morning. Our backyard rocks.

We’ve all noticed the never-ending curb ramp project that is going on in San Francisco. Clearly DPW won’t rest until every curb has been recut and fitted with the bumpy, yellow surfacing.

RichmondSFBlog reader ClarenceBeeksJr came across an odd site at 46th and Cabrillo the other day when he noticed that the street names carved into the concrete had been reversed.

According to the freshly installed curbs, Cabrillo runs north-south, and 46th Avenue runs east-west. Say what?

And as commenter Valentine points out, they also stamped 48th instead of the correct 46th Avenue. Oof.

Hey, it must be tough to stamp the names correctly when the street signs are posted oh so far away. I’ll just chalk it up to someone at DPW having an off day.

So the question is, will it get fixed, or will it live in perpetuity? I suppose I should inform 311 but then it might further push out the pothole repair I called in on my street OVER 3 MONTHS AGO…

Sarah B.

UPDATE #1 1/4/11: The Examiner picked up on the story today. Someone at DPW will be getting a call in 3, 2, 1…

UPDATE #2 1/5/11: Commenter Steve writes “all fixed this morning!”

The real cross streets for the 46th & Cabrillo intersection.

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of December 24, 2010. To be added to the station's mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN RICHARD CORREIA’S MESSAGE
As we get ready close out 2010 I have some good statistical news to report. Both auto theft and auto burglaries are down this year as compared to 2009. In 2009 there were 306 vehicles reported stolen in the district and this year there were 254, a decrease of 17%. As for auto burglaries, there were 837 reported 2009 versus 585 reported this year, a decrease of 30%.

During the past week in the District there were 21 traffic accidents 4 involving injuries. There was 1 citation issued for driving without a license or driving on a suspended license. There was 1 arrest for driving under the influence.

The next Police-Community Forum meeting is scheduled for January 18, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the station.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 12/18/10 at 7:30pm officers on patrol in the area of Geary Boulevard and Collins Street spotted a subject looking into a parked vehicle. Officers made contact with the suspect and upon further investigation determined that the suspect was in possession of burglary tools, various item of stolen property and drug paraphernalia. The suspect was booked and charged with multiple felonies.

On 12/20/10 at 11:00am a suspect in a criminal threats case was arrested on the 700 block of 5th Avenue . Officers determined that several firearms were registered to the suspect. A computer check revealed that the suspect was currently on felony probation and was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. The firearms were seized and the suspect was booked for the criminal threats and for weapons charges.

On 12/20/10 at 10:45pm officers responded to the area of California and Palm regarding an injury accident. One driver appeared to have been driving while under the influence of alcohol. A field sobriety test was performed and an initial breath test was conducted with positive results. The driver was subsequently placed under arrest and later booked for DUI.

On 12/21/10 at 3:51pm undercover officers were in the area of Anza and 27th Avenue and apprehended a wanted suspect. The subject was driving with a suspended drivers license and during an arrest search officers found illegal drugs. The suspect was later booked on the active warrant and for possession of a controlled substance. The suspect may have been involved with another crime, which is the subject of further investigation.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 12/21/10 at 7:50am a female resident on the 300 block of 15th Avenue was surprised by a suspect by an unknown male suspect who appeared to have remotely opened her garage door. The would be victim heard her garage door open and when she looked out the front door saw the suspect standing in the middle of the street holding what appeared to be a remote garage door opening device. The suspect fled in an unknown vehicle when he saw the alert resident look out the front door.