PAVIN' THE PARK

June 15, the Rec and Park Commission approved $500,000 to resurface a portion of JFK.

Starting at Conservatory East and including 8th Ave. from JFK to Fulton, contractors will resurface as much as possible going west to Stow Lake Drive. The process will involve grinding down the edges, in about 8 fee, and overlaying with 2" of asphalt.

WHY? Their stated reason is because the Concourse Authority received a grant for about $200K to re-strip the eastern portion of JFK for "traffic calming" and striping the current surface would be absurd. The striping will paint two12ft. single lanes down the center with 6ft. bike lanes each side. In the areas where parking has been removed the centerline will be shifted toward the free space. This SHOULD also include 6 more crosswalks, but this we shall see.

The real reason is that though R&P had DPT patch the length of JFK before the Bay to Breakers, Sir Gavin, in his annual run through the Park, was appalled and wrote $500K into the budget for resurfacing. (Though no one would ever admit it, the Mayor also feels substantial guilt over vetoing Healthy Saturdays and is trying to make amends to all that actually use this ratty piece of pavement on the weekend.

The project is to be on the fast tracked. Supervisor Jake McGoldrick has requested that though the funds won't be available until the 06/07 budget is passed, R&P should "borrow" the $500K from other projects and begun ASAP. R&P sources tell me that "what $500K in other projects?" In any case, by the end of summer 06 we should have a LONG overdue repaved JFK.

A little background: For the 28 years I have skated JFK Sundays, it has not been resurfaced and steadily declined. In 1990, the skating community worked hard supporting a bond measure for $100 million to improve the infrastructure of GGP with the promise that JFK would be repaved. A lie, the sewer line was repaved (Jake is actually standing on the sewer patch), but nothing more was done. Traditionally, holes were patch on a weekly basis, but since our Governor Terminator cut all all state funding for city street repair two years ago, even patching has ceased, except if the Mayor is expected to pass that way. At the R&P Commission hearing the Park Staff even publicly discussed that the Mayor is not knowingly allowed to experience routine maintenance standards.

Many of us can personally attest to surface conditions. In 2001, I destroyed my shoulder, falling in a hole (image below) and underwent 4 hrs of surgery and 6 months of rehab. Bruce, one of our most experienced if extreme skaters shattered a collarbone in front of the Rose Garden on JFK again hitting a pothole. I watched paramedics literally scrap up a bicyclists in front of the Conservatory who had hit a hole at speed and “going over the top” scrapped off huge sections of his body and nose. (no pictures please).

What does this bode for the rest of our “paved” surfaces in GGP. NOTHING. Even though the construction traffic for the Academy of Sciences have totally destroyed Middle Drive East, the

Academy have no plans to repair their damage. As all who use the Park know, just walking in the Park has become an extreme sport. This Fall the Guardsmen will put on a vintage Grand Prix in the west end and must do some serious road repair to reduce the risk of their expensive toys going airborne.

Suggestion: Stay on the paved paths (term used loosely) as are grassy areas are riddled with gopher runs that collapse daily and create hidden traps. Always look at the surfaces ahead as trust in God, not a safe place to walk.

June 6th, The Polo - Field of Screams

June 1, Inner Sunset Community Meeting on Homeless

May 31, The Public/Private Partnership in Public Parks

May 28, Art coming to a meadow near you.


May 25 LOST IN THE FOG or Homeless in Golden Gate Park

May 23, Those That Ignore History...

May 22, Faces of the Bay to Breakers 2006

May 20, An Open Letter to the Mayor: How can we take back our Park?

May 19, NO MUSIC IN THE MUSIC CONCOURSE

May 18, DEDE to allow some of her Oscars to be viewed by visitors to her museum.