Chiefs focus
On Nov. 5, San Francisco voters
approved the city’s newest park
, a
transformation of the southern end of the Great Highway
. But the fight over that stretch of road appears to be turning into a political fight and a possible recall campaign.
“I think we could build it similar to the Highline where there’s so many different experiences to be had along the way,” said park supporter Nancy Jodaitif. “And more opportunity to build community, which is what we need to do right now.”
For supporters of San Francisco’s newest park, it was a day to think about the future of this space, while celebrating the victory of the ballot measure that will make it happen.
“The voters have spoken,” District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar told the crowd.
“This victory parade, it’s really very insensitive,” said park opponent Alyse Ceirante. “This is just obnoxious. This is rubbing our faces in it.”
The victory party also showed that the fight over Proposition K is not over. Opponents, who were outnumbered, showed up to protest the celebration.
“I was really uncomfortable with how they were over-shouting what we were saying,” Jodaitif said. “And I think we also need to listen to what they’re saying.”
The divide on the highway reflects the divide in the city, with many on that purple westside left feeling like the vote itself was unfair.
“The residents of the Sunset District are still digesting what happened,” Ceirante said. “We’re still digesting the betrayal of our supervisor Joel Engardio.”
“People who live out by Ocean Beach, people who live throughout the Sunset came together, came up with this idea to create something, a better use for this road that’s losing its greatest utility,” said District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio. “And so they came to me with this idea and I supported it. I believe in it. I think it’s a good thing. I think it’s good for the Sunset and good for San Francisco.”
Engardio says supporting the park was, simply, the right decision. And like removing the Embarcadero Freeway he says history will prove him right.
But in the near term, social media has erupted with angry park opponents and the supervisor has been the central target.
That anger is now turning into political motivation. Just as people were gathered at the beach, another group was gathering at a diner in the avenues to discuss the beginnings of a recall campaign.
They did not want to appear on television, but starting the organization process of what could be the next fight over the Great Highway.
“Oh absolutely,” Ceirante said. “I’m 100% behind a recall.”
Is Engardio concerned that people are angry enough about this that it may in fact cost him his seat?
“People have a lot of concerns and valid concerns about traffic and I think once they see the implementation and how traffic goes that maybe people will see the benefit of the park and so that’s the goal,” Engardio told KPIX. “We just need people to see the potential and we can address the traffic issues. And once people see that this park is beneficial I think people will come around.”
So what about the new park, now that it has been approved by the voters? Well, the Coastal Commission still has to sign off on the closure, and some neighbors say they will be taking their complaints to that venue.
But the highway is now in the hands of San Francisco Recreation and Parks and they expect to permanently close the gates to traffic sometime early next year.
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