Is this any way to treat a Landmark?

CONCOURSE UPDATE

SOD, SIGNS, NETS, SKATEBOARDING, RAVES & ASPHALT

Finally, after much difficulty getting a clean water supply for the new irrigation system the Concourse received a new layer of sod last week. During installation, two water mains ruptured, one on Fulton and one on MLK, forcing the contractors to hand water for a few days, but as if this writing, sprinkler heads raise up at odd times and spread their joy.

ALSO, this week contractors have begun to anchor steel cable around the cornice of the Bandshell to hold netting. This netting should catch any stonework that might fall as a result of the leaky roof, which remains. Schedule is 3 weeks for completion, just in time for the end of the concert season for the Bandshell. Cost of the netting is $45,000 and the cost of doing it right would be $600,000.

For three years now, the Bandshell has been closed. Cultural events such as Brazil Day, Pakistan Independence Day, the Park Band, weekly Swing and Tango gathering, all have had to find other venues. With the installation of the netting, at least we can start scheduling events for next summer.

No Fountains any time soon.
Recreation and Parks Department had decided to not turn the fountains back on. Though the fountains were functioning when the Concourse was closed those many years ago, they argue that they must still spend $625,000 to redo them.

The naming stone has had two cracks opened up by boarders.

Of biggest concern is the damage being wrought by skateboarders on the center Rideout Fountain. As noted here and at every public gathering concerning the Concourse for years now, this location has become an internationally recognized place to
"grind." One member of the Friends of the Concourse confronted a group of 'boarders' and was told that they chose the Concourse because the police chanced them off everywhere else. A gardener tried to reason with them and had his bicycle destroyed and was threatened with having his head caved in with a skateboard for his trouble.

Events have returned to the Concourse of a form.

This last weekend a group calling themselves Sunset Seekers scheduled a "picnic" in the bowl. Wonderful event, EXCEPT, they chose to place speakers for the related rave next to a lawn area, rather then the decomposed granite area. This compacting the soil and killing an area of healthy lawn. Again, with no supervision or enforcement, there was no one to suggest a more appropriate location.

Traffic in the Concourse
Same as it ever was!

Traffic through the Concourse is returning to pre-"restoration" levels. The week of random ticketing has had little effect. The black and white signs don't work. People see them only as suggestions. IF authorities wish to limit traffic in the Concourse to only Muni and pickup and drop off, and this is a large if, international standards exist that everyone recognizes. They are red and white signs.

This one is in Houzhou, China

I have suggested repeatedly that solutions exist that will give drivers a clear message that unless they have business in the Concourse, KEEP OUT. Here they are again:

Hearings are being scheduled at the Board of Sups to consider blocking off the Concourse entirely. Sadly, again San Francisco is proving it is a city that doesn't know how.

And lastly, not directly Concourse, but certainly related:
Repaving JFK

Recall that after running the Bay to Breakers, Mayor Newsome allocated $500,000 to repave the eastern end of JFK, Stanyan to Crossover. WELL, the estimate was low by half. It turns out that amount will only pave from Conservatory East to 10th Ave.. Though damage to the roadway caused by the 40,000 truck trips required to build deYoung and Garage are responsible for the roadway final demise, neither the Fine Arts Museums Corporation or the Music Concourse Community Partnership are willing to chip in a penny for repair. In many Bay Area communities a fee of 0.73% of gross construction cost is levied to repair road damage. That would be about $1.8 million sufficient to repair much of the eastern roadway in the Park. But at it stands everything is on hold.

Reality dictates that work must began very soon. There is a $250,000 grant to pay for stripping JFK that runs out in April. Soon the rains will come and paving will be difficult or impossible. Again, the City that doesn't know how.

July 12th The Daily Dirt awards the Red Herring Award to
Coalition for Park Access
(for wealthy folks in cars to attend private parties)

July 8 WHO'S IN CHARGE IN THE CONCOURSE ANYWAY?

June 26, Ticketing in the Concourse

June 16, Pavin' the Park

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.