Now that the Richmond Library has re-opened, it was time for me to get with the program. An article on the SF Public Library site gave me more incentive…

Last week they released their new “green” library card that is completely bio-degradable and made from corn. Everyone is going green these days!

The Library will continue to offer its regular library cards which come in four colorful designs created by San Francisco students as well as a “classic” design. To avoid adding materials to the waste stream, the new ecocard will only be offered for free to new library card holders and may be obtained as a replacement for a lost card for a $1 fee. Find out how to get a library card.

Sarah B.

Last Thursday night a meeting was held to discuss the proposal to charge a $7 admission fee for the SF Botanical Gardens / Arboretum to non-residents. About 250 residents attended to reject the imposition of any fee on the gardens. While their voices were heard at the meeting, the Keep Arboretum Free group is continuing to meet about this issue. Their next planning meeting is this Thursday; feel free to attend if you’d like to support their efforts:

Keep the Arboretum Free Planning Meeting
Thursday, June 4th, 7-9 p.m.
St. John of God Church Hall
1290 5th Ave. at Irving

As a result of the public rallying against the proposed fees, the Rec & Park Commission President announced his intentions of exploring other ideas for generating revenue for the gardens. Those additional ideas will be presented on Thursday, June 18, 2009 at the Rec & Park Commission meeting at City Hall (4pm, Room 416 but check this site closer to the date for final confirmation).

Even if you can’t attend meetings, you can lend your support for keeping the Arboretum free to all visitors. Sign the online petition and pass it onto your friends, or take a moment to call, email and/or write the five supervisors on the Budget and Finance Committee and urge them to oppose any imposition of fees. Their contact information is at the end of this post. Or write to our own supervisor for the Richmond District, Eric Mar and let him know your thoughts.

Sarah B.

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SUPERVISOR CONTACT INFORMATION (BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE)

John Avalos
Chair of Budget and Finance Committee
(415) 554-6975 – Voice
(415) 554-6979 – Fax
John.Avalos@sfgov.org

David Campos
(415) 554-5144 – voice
(415) 554-6255 – fax
David.Campos@sfgov.org

Carmen Chu
(415) 554-7460 – Voice
(415) 554-7432 – Fax
Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org

Bevan Dufty
(415) 554-6968 – Voice
(415) 554-6909 – Fax
Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org

Ross Mirkarimi
(415) 554-7630 – Voice
(415) 554-7634 – Fax
Ross.Mirkarimi@sfgov.org

Community involvement is alive and well in the Richmond. I attended Saturday’s Town Hall Meeting at the Richmond Recreation Center. The topic was traffic calming and pedestrian safety in the Richmond District and the meeting was organized by Supervisor Eric Mar’s office.

About 30 people were in attendance, including representatives from the city’s Planning Department, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (SFMTA), Dept. Public Works and the Police Dept. The first part of the meeting included talks and presentations from these attendess, showing us what is already being done and what opportunities are available to us for better controlling traffic or beautifying our neighborhood. We saw interesting examples where neigborhoods across the city were making simple changes to busy areas to help slow traffic down and make it safer for pedestrians (and in the process, adding some needed greenery to their urban landscapes).

The last part of the meeting was brainstorming with other neighbors on trouble areas in the Richmond and potential solutions. Maps of the district which were laid out on each table and group members made notes on them, pointing out problem intersections and potential solutions.

Two areas were consistently mentioned by groups in the wrap-up at the end: the Fulton Street corridor and 25th Avenue. Several residents that live on the Fulton corridor mentioned taking their lives into their own hands to cross over and catch the bus or enter into the park, and some residents on or near 25th Avenue said that traffic was still going too fast despite some recent changes to the route.

Thanks to Eric Mar and his staff for organizing the meeting. While no definitive plans were made for changes, the representatives from the SFMTA, Planning Dept, Police Dept. and DPW had long lists of issues that they will investigate.

Sarah B.

The The Western Neighborhoods Project sells fun neighborhood gear on their website. They’ve got an assortment of t-shirts (men’s & women’s), sweatshirts, bags and the ubiquitous coffee mug. The logo design is a vintage picture of 18th & Geary – you can see the Alexandria movie sign and the trolley car in it (click here for a closeup). The back side includes their WNP name and website address, http://www.outsidelands.org.

Prices range from $15.99 for a mug to $39.99 for the hooded sweatshirt (I sure could have used it in last weekend’s foggy weather – brrr!). And the profits go back into the Western Neighborhoods Project whose mission is to preserve the history of San Francisco’s west side.

Shop for Richmond District gear

Gear is available for several other western neighborhoods and landmarks as well: Playland, Sunset District, Sunnyside, Westwood Park, OMI (Ocean View, Merced Heights and Ingleside), and Clement Street 1907 (vintage photo of 6th & Clement). See all the items available in the Outsidelands shop.

Sarah B.

This Thursday, May 28, there will be a public hearing to discuss charging an entry fee for the San Francisco Botanical Gardens at the Strybing Arboretum. Since the last meeting in April, the Park & Rec Dept. has modified the proposal to state that residents continue to get free access and that only out-of-town visitors will be charged a $7 fee.

Those opposed to this proposal say it’s unacceptable for a number of reasons: “it allows installation of gates and the requirement to obtain special Park ID cards. This sets the stage for residents to be charged sooner or later. The Japanese Tea Garden went through a similar process and today everyone is charged fees and residents seldom visit that landmark.” The Sierra Club has also weighed in on the issue.

I visited the gardens this weekend and was reminded of how wonderful it is. All the different plant life, hidden paths, beautiful flowers, and the quiet respite it provides from urban life. Doubly special was the ability to park my bike and just stroll in the Friend Gate – no turnstyles, no special ID needed. I would like to be able to extend that same experience to my friends and family that come to visit. Nevertheless, the gardens are in need of additional revenue and this is one way they believe they can meet their financial goals.

So if you care about this issue, please attend the meeting this Thursday evening. Details on where and when are below. In the meantime, I put together a short video of my visit to the Arboreturm this weekend; perhaps it will remind you of what a great gem we have in our own backyard.

Sarah B.

P.S. – If you can’t make the meeting but would like to register your support for not having a fee, sign the online petition.

PUBLIC MEETING: ARBORETUM FEES
Thursday, May 28, 2009
6:30 – 8:00 pm
County Fair Building Auditorium/Hall of Flowers
(9th Ave. at Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park)

SFWeekly released their Best Of San Francisco 2009 winners today and of course I wanted to showcase the Richmond District winners here for everyone. The theme for this year was “fresh places and trend-setters that will shape the world of tomorrow.”

To see the full list of winners in People & Places, Sports & Recreation, Shopping & Services, Eats & Treats, Arts & Entertainment and Bars & Clubs, head over to the SF Weekly Best Of site. Congratulations to all the winners!

Best New Museum: California Academy of Sciences
There are so many awesome things about the Cal Academy of Sciences. The jaw-dropping building, with its grassy hillocks on the roof. The multistory rainforest display, which allows you to stroll from roots to treetop. The African penguins, fed twice a day to the delight of squealing tots… More

Best SFPD Flack: Sergeant Lyn Tomioka
Calling the cops is rarely a pleasant experience. But ever since Lyn Tomioka joined the media relations team at the Hall of Justice, it’s been nothing but goodies, goodies, and gumdrops. The former patrol supervisor in the Richmond District transferred to media relations late last year and… More

Best Place for a Birthday Party: China Beach
Competition among parents for children’s birthday party sites is San Francisco’s version of range warfare. Prime spots in Golden Gate Park require advance reservations. Private birthday spots such as the Secret Garden Tea House & Gift Parlour or AcroSports cost more than recession victims… More

Best New Music Fest: Outside Lands
Last summer, those who attended the first annual Outside Lands music festival in Golden Gate Park were treated to many “only in San Francisco” moments. There was the night Radiohead performed dreamy postrock symphonies, shrouded in fog. Or the time indie songwriter Bon Iver got the entire crowd… More

Best Place to Race Your Model Yacht: Spreckels Lake (36th Ave & Fulton)
Spreckels Lake was created in 1903 as a place for the town’s citizenry to sail their model yachts, a charming notion that has endured through a century of war, strife, and economic deprivation. On any given Sunday, you’re likely to see a regatta of scale-model steamboats, clippers, barges,… More

Best Bike Ride with the Kids: Golden Gate Park Panhandle to S.F. Zoo
Among the pleasures of raising a family in San Francisco is riding bikes with your children. The city’s linked series of oceanside and bayside parks and weekend street closures in Golden Gate Park and on the Embarcadero mean it’s possible to tour some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes… More

Best Reinvention: Sutro’s at the Cliff House
Once upon a time, the Cliff House was regarded as the quintessential San Francisco tourist trap: a badly run, badly maintained place with nothing to recommend it save its matchless ocean view. But since the arrival of famed multistarred chef George Morrone, former opening chef at Aqua and Fifth… More

Best Popovers: The Bistro at Cliff House
Popovers are eggy, light, almost hollow soufflélike rolls, with a fragile and glossy crust, and best when served fresh. Practice makes perfect, but most restaurants don’t even attempt to bake the steam-leavened treats. In San Francisco, reliable beauties are available at the Bistro… More

Best Vegetarian Restaurant: Burma Superstar
As Burma Superstar’s extensive and alluring menu states: “Please note, most dishes can be prepared vegetarian — please ask your server.” Even nonvegetarians often find themselves ordering an entire vegetarian meal here, right off the menu. We suggest starting with the famous… More

Best Comedian: Ali Wong (Richmond resident)
Comedians are often ambitious egotists with poor boundaries who aren’t hiding how intelligent they are. Ali Wong is all of that, plus she has the things that really matter: wit, timing, experience, and a unique hairdo. We’re so proud of her! She delighted and embarrassed fellow comedian Bobby… More

Sarah B.

I saw a story in the Examiner recently about 7-11′s plan to open more locations within San Francisco. That got me to thinking about the one that used to be at 10th & Clement until several months ago when it mysteriously disappeared. No signs or anything were posted about its demise; not even a note directing us to the one on 15th and Geary.

So I contacted the 7-11 PR representative, Margaret Chabris, who is named in the Examiner story. I asked her why the one on Clement closed and if there were plans to re-open it. She responded quickly to let me know that the lease for that location had come up for renewal, but due to that location’s underperformance, it was decided to not renew the lease and instead focus on the nearby Geary location. I guess the Clement location didn’t quite master the “very sophisticated system” for managing its product line and boosting sales.

Ms. Chabris added that “If an attractive site becomes available in Richmond in the future we would definitely consider it”. I guess my neighbors weren’t buying enough beer, donuts and slurpees. Darn! Now where do I go when I have a late night craving for Ho-Hos or need milk on my way home?

All jokes aside, no one likes to look at the eyesore that’s there now with boarded up windows and empty marquees, especially in a prime corner spot. Hopefully we’ll see something new open there soon. What would you like to see take over that space? And please don’t say a Starbucks…

Sarah B.

Tomorrow night is the next Police/Community Forum which will be held at at the Richmond Recreation Center, 251 18th Avenue from 7-8pm. The meeting will discuss the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, which is scheduled for August 28 to 30 this year in Golden Gate Park.

Last year’s festival drew 150,000 people to Golden Gate Park over a 3-day period. “The weekend marked several firsts: the first time a concert occurred after dark in Golden Gate Park and the first time in recent memory that a multiday concert occurred on a Recreation and Park Department property” according to an article from last year’s Chronicle.

Despite the festival’s success, many Richmond residents did complain about the noise and traffic, hence the need for discussion at Tuesday night’s meeting. So if you were affected last year and have some ideas about how to better balance the festival’s needs with the rest of the neighborhood’s, be sure to stop by.

Here’s a brief video of last year’s event, courtesy of sfgate.com:

Sarah B.