Compromise reached for "Healthy Saturdays" in Golden Gate Park

Through all-night negotiations, champions (including the Sierra Club) and opponents of "Healthy Saturdays" have reached a compromise.

These negotiations, mediated by the mayor's office after his veto last year of a previous Healthy Saturdays bill, have resulted in a winning compromise to open a portion of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users on Saturdays (as is already the case on Sundays). While the agreement is not everything we wanted, we are proud that we've helped win new car-free, recreational space on an ongoing basis, not just a trial period.

The proposal, which was approved April 15 at the Land Use Committee of the Board of Supervisors, wins new car-free space on Saturdays on JFK Drive between Tea Garden Drive (near Eighth Avenue) westward to Transverse Drive for six months each year (April through September), starting this Memorial Day weekend! The proposal also includes a commitment from the philanthropic community to fund much-needed capital improvements to the long-neglected Middle Drive West.

The legislation, which is expected to sail through the Board of Supervisors, will initially cover car-free space for this year only. The legislation enacting ongoing car-free space needs to jump through a few more legislative hurdles, but we have the mayor's pledge to get it to the Board for approval within a few weeks.

The Sierra Club thanks the mayor's office for negotiating a winning solution, and we send praise and admiration to Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, a champion and leader extraordinaire on this important issue of ensuring public park space for people. We thank especially the over 100 supporters who showed up at the April 9 hearing and the hundreds of others who have been writing letters, flyering in the park, and attending community meetings building support for Healthy Saturdays. We are just a few legislative steps away from getting new car-free space in Golden Gate Park.

WhatYouCanDo

Please take a minute to thank Supervisor McGoldrick for his leadership:
(415)554-7410
Jake.McGoldrick@sfgov.org
fax: (415)554-7415;
- especially if you are a District 1 constituent.

Also write letters to:
San Francisco Chronicle
901 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
fax: (415)543-7708

San Francisco Examiner
450 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.examiner.com/Submit_Your_Letter.html

Richmond Review
P.O. Box 590596
San Francisco, CA 94159.

Thank Supervisor McGoldrick for his commitment and achievement on Healthy Saturdays. Without his leadership, we would still be deadlocked on this issue.

Rick Galbreath, San Francisco Group ExComm