Today’s Ciclovía-inspired Sunday Streets, from South Beach all the way up the waterfront on up to Aquatic Park, went off without a hitch. Lot’s of people were biking, skating and walking around in the northbound lanes of the normally car-choked Embarcadero.
But let’s start from the beginning, with the suits. Here’s District 2 rep and President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors David Chiu at last week’s press conference, which is ably described here by Erin Allday. You’ve got to assume Mr. Chiu has gotten an earful from the businesspeople in his district.
But it was all smiles with mayoral stand-in Wade Crowfoot and all the representatives of participating agencies and oranizations, including the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, as represented by Executive Director Leah Shahum on the right. Today’s S.S. seemed not as big a spectacle as last year’s kickoff, but that’s only to be expected due to the time of year and the shorter course.
Now, on with the show today. A lot of people, but not too overwhelming. As promised, corporate signage was minimal, AFAICS.
Here’s what you want to see, a 500-pound bicycle built for seven complete with a sound system playing Stevie Wonder. SFBC Director Dan Nguyen-Tan (second from right) can be seen stoking this $13,000 Cobi Conference Bike around AT&T Park.
Some of the trolleys were full (like this one near the Ferry Building) and some were almost empty:
And what’s up in the sky but a World War II-era B-17 bomber, Aluminum Overcast. Sold off by Uncle Sam for $750 back in 1946. Take a flight yourself for just $400:
R2D2 and Zackdaddy dribbled a soccer ball up the Embarc while on inline skates:
The MSM appeared fascinated with facepainting:
A “Lube Ferry” from the Sports Basement doling out some free adjustments at the foot of Market Street
Mark your calendars for the rest of Sunday Streets 2009:
Valencia Street and 19th Street
Valencia Street and 19th Street
More deets after the jump.
MAYOR NEWSOM ANNOUNCES ROUTE FOR MISSION DISTRICT SUNDAY STREETS
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – On the eve of kicking off Sunday Streets 2009, Mayor
Newsom announced the planned route for the Mission District Sunday Streets
event later this summer.
“Expanding Sunday Streets to the Mission District by connecting two
neighborhood parks through major merchant corridors is exciting,” said
Mayor Newsom. “We’re working to ensure these events are something fun and
new for residents and also help local merchants during these tough economic
times.”
The planned route for the Mission District events on June 7 and July 19
will travel from Garfield Park to Dolores Park via Harrison, 24th Street,
Valencia Street and 19th Street. This route received City approval this
week from departments overseeing street closures. The Mayor’s Office and
community organizers are working with neighborhood groups and Mission
district merchants to plan special Mission-district only events for this
installment of Sunday Streets.
Sunday Streets 2009 kicks off along the Embarcadero this Sunday, April 26
between 9AM-1PM. The Bayside portion of the Embarcadero will be closed to
auto traffic from AT&T Park to Aquatic Park, providing 3.4 miles of open
space to enjoy.
“This Sunday’s event is the biggest and best Sunday Streets yet,” explained
Leah Shahum, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
“Bay Area residents and families can run the bases at AT&T Park, bike
almost four miles along the route, and try new activities like dance
classes, yoga sessions, and even a roller-skating rink.” Additionally,
Fisherman’s Wharf will be full of new activities, including live bands and
street performers at Pier 39 and a family fair at Aquatic Park with a
climbing wall, slides and kids games.
Sunday Streets 2009 is presented by the Municipal Transportation Agency
(MTA) and Livable City, a local transportation-oriented non-profit group.
It also involves participation of over 50 community based groups. The
first two Sunday Streets of 2009 are made possible by the generous
financial sponsorship of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District,
Kaiser Permanente, Shape Up SF, Webcor Builders, Blue Shield, PG&E, Lennar
and other local sponsors. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition will be
managing the Volunteer component of Sunday Streets (to volunteer, please go
to sundaystreetssf.com/volunteer.html).
Residents can find out more about Sunday Streets online at
www.sundaystreetsSF.com. Information about auto detours can be accessed by
calling 311 or visiting online at www.sfgov.org/311. The event can also be
accessed easily by taking BART or Muni to the Embarcadero station – both
the T and F lines are running all day Sunday.
*** PRESS RELEASE ***
Sunday Streets Organizers Unveil New Programs for This Year’s Events
Sunday Streets to kick off along Embarcadero on April 26
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – City leaders today unveiled the return of Sunday
Streets, with new partners and programming for the events being held in San
Francisco from April through September of this year.
Tens of thousands of Bay Area residents took part in Sunday Streets last
summer, which opened local roads on Sunday mornings for physical activity.
Modeled on a 30-year old program started in South America, Sunday Streets
creates routes for local families, kids, and adults to walk, jog, and bike,
and participate in group exercise. Due to the overwhelmingly positive
response to the two inaugural Sunday Street events in 2008, Sunday Streets
will expand to six Sundays this year.
“In these tough economic times, Sunday Streets provides free and fun
activities for all Bay Area residents to enjoy,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom.
“These events promote fitness, build community, and use our streets in a
whole new way.”
Sunday Streets 2009 kicks off along the Embarcadero on Sunday, April 26
between 9AM-1PM. The Bayside portion of the Embarcadero will be closed to
auto traffic from AT&T Park to Aquatic Park, providing 3.4 miles of open
space to enjoy.
Free activities planned for the April 26 event include:
Dance and yoga classes each hour along the route
Running of the bases in the San Francisco Giants AT&T Park
Fitness, Health & Safety Fair in Aquatic Park offering a climbing wall,
super slide, face painting, balloon sculptures, and more
Roller rink at Justin Herman Plaza (skates provided), including teaching
of the Slumdog Millionaire Dance
Free rock and roll bands in front of Pier 39
Sunday Streets events are also planned in other San Francisco neighborhoods
throughout the Spring and Summer: Sunday, May 10 from AT&T Park to the
Bayview Opera House and India Basin; Summer routes on June 7, July 19,
August 9 and September 6 in various neighborhoods, including the Mission
and along the Great Highway from Golden Gate Park to the San Francisco Zoo.
“Sunday Streets is a great way to get outdoors on Sunday morning and try
new activities,” said Board of Supervisors President David Chiu. “It
furthers our goals to provide all San Franciscans new opportunities to
experience their city.”
2009 Sunday Streets is presented by the San Francisco Municipal
Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Livable City, a local
transportation-oriented non-profit group. It also involves participation
of over 50 community based groups. The first two Sunday Streets of 2009
are made possible by the generous financial sponsorship of the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District, Kaiser Permanente, Shape Up SF, Webcor
Builders, Blue Shield, PG&E, Lennar and other local sponsors. The San
Francisco Bicycle Coalition will be managing the Volunteer component of
Sunday Streets (to volunteer, please go to www.
sundaystreetsSF.com/volunteer.html).
“Sunday Streets represents the best sort of private/public partnership as
we all work together to take better advantage of our public spaces,” said
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., Executive Director/CEO of the SFMTA. “We also
encourage people to avail themselves of Muni and other green modes of
transportation, such as bicycling and walking, to get to the Sunday Streets
venue on the Embarcadero.”
Volunteer opportunities are still available through the Sunday Streets
website, www.sundaystreetsSF.com.
Residents can find out more about Sunday Streets online at
www.sundaystreetsSF.com. Information about auto detours can be accessed by
calling 311 or visiting online at www.sfgov.org/311.
Tags: 2008, 2009, 26, 26th, aluminum overcast, april, b17, bicycle coalition, bicycles, bikes, cars, commission, cyclists, David Chiu, Embarcadero, ferry building, leah shahum, mta, Muni, N5017N, nat ford, northern, San Francisco, SF, sfbc, sunday streets, Supervisor, traffic, trolley, Wade Crowfoot, waterfront
that F-Market (1818) shot is off the hook.
Muchas, P1.