The culprit in the disappearance of the mini door in Golden Gate Park has been revealed – our very own Recreation & Parks Department.
According to ABC News, Rec & Park removed the door from the base of the concourse elm tree “because it had damaged the tree”.
Ironic, considering one of their employees, Andy Stone, told two different news stations – on camera – that the department had no plans to remove the door.
“As of now we don’t have any plans to do anything but just leave the elf door and continue to take care of Golden Gate Park,” Stone told NBC Bay Area News last week.
When we went to see the door on Tuesday night, we were shocked to see it missing, and most of the offerings had been whisked away as well. In the 15 minutes we were there, at least 10 other people wandered up, in search of the door, deeply disappointed.
That’s what happens when something is covered in local, national and even international news. Did Rec & Park think no one would notice or care that the door was gone? Did they even consider posting a sign, explaining its disappearance?
The ABC News article says that due to the outcry after the door was removed, Rec & Park has since re-installed the door at the base of the elm tree. We haven’t laid eyes on it, so if you’re in the park today and catch a glimpse of it, let us know.
We’re scratching our heads over this one, Rec & Park…
UPDATE 4/4/13: A reader visited the door on Wednesday night only to discover that it was an imposter – the original door is no longer in place. And the Chronicle reports that Rec & Park has plans to remove the door altogether, due to their policy of removing anything that is nailed into a tree (claiming it damages the tree). “Hogwash!” we think the elf would say…
Sarah B.
Rec & Parks Dept. employee Andy Stone told NBC News that the department had no intention of removing the door
The door has been replaced, but it’s not the same door. Just came back from seeing it.
Shame on you SF Rec and Parks!! This is so upsetting. Even though they put the door back they messed up what was magical for a lot of people and especially our little ones. Now it’s not even the same door? I need to see a picture of this imposter door. WTF!!!
Typical
Just read this on SFGate:
http://tinyurl.com/bo9azzt
I’m going to make a suggestion that may be not well received by people here: perhaps the very reporting of this door by this very blog contributed to it’s demise. Had this blog not reported on it, not many people would have gone searching for it, and par and rec would not have removed it. While eventually some outlet would have reported on it, perhaps this blog should have been more discreet…
@ J
Yeah, a tough call. How can one decide whether or not to share something really neat?
Two tiny hinges, thousands of joyful responses from several countries, and a ton of great PR for GG Park. And what do they do? Do the park’s highly skilled dendrologists figure a way to secure the door without damaging the tree? Like using tiny wooden pegs instead of metal screws? No. Do the park execs even consider the public response to the conflicting stories they”ve been telling? No. Now they get to deal with a ton of negative PR.
Good.