Sports & recreation

America's Cup may be scaled-down, but transportation challenges are unchanged

Jerold Chinn, SF Public Press — Mar 28 2012 - 5:47pm

City scrambles to invent temporary bus and train lines for legions of yacht race spectators

A version of this story appears in the Spring 2012 print edition of the San Francisco Public Press.

The effect of a scaled-down America's Cup plan on an ambitious transit effort is unclear as the city continues to view the expected flood of visitors for America’s Cup pre-events this August and October as a chance to experiment with new transit options. On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with America's Cup organizers that will put more of the spectator activity along the Marina Green. The transit plan for the game calls for an estimated 300,000 spectators around the waterfront — the equivalent of almost half the average weekday Muni ridership of 637,000 — city planners said they have to get nearly everyone out of cars to prevent transportation chaos.

Mission construction revamping parks, Cesar Chavez Street

News Partner, El Tecolote — Aug 10 2011 - 4:59pm

New playgrounds to be in place by 2012

The face of the Mission District is ever-changing, and this summer was no exception, with the children’s playground at Dolores Park getting a much-needed renovation.The Mission Playground also saw improvements and Cesar Chavez Street — from Hampshire to Guerrero streets — is the site of an even more ambitious project that will change the look and use of the heavily traveled corridor.

Not just fun and games, America’s Cup races have environmental toll

Alison Hawkes, Way Out West News — Mar 1 2011 - 12:58pm
The America’s Cup, still two years away from its arrival in San Francisco, is already a topic of concern among environmental groups and regulators. Officials have launched an accelerated environmental review of the plans, and the event organizer are promising to raise tens of millions of dollars to mitigate the effects of the world’s premier sailing event. Part of the concern is boat traffic. Also on the agenda: the pollution from cleaning and repairing the boats.

Athletes vie with birds in Golden Gate Park’s environmental turf war

Dan Hirsch, SF Public Press — Aug 9 2010 - 12:05pm

A swath of ground at the western end of Golden Gate Park has stirred debate among soccer players, neighborhood residents, astronomers and environmentalists. The disputed turf is the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields. A plan to replace the grass surface with artificial turf has been put on hold by the Recreation and Park Commission which has ordered an environmental impact report on the project.

SFMTA approves bike plan, adds 34 miles of new lanes

Kirsty Brown, The Public Press — Jun 26 2009 - 6:40pm

The number of bike lanes is set to nearly double after the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's board of directors officially gave the long-awaited city bike plan the green light.

Bonds' prosecution turns to persecution

Brenda Payton, KQED — Apr 1 2009 - 12:07pm

Maybe the U.S. prosecutors didn’t make their college baseball teams. Maybe Barry Bonds was rude to their nephews who’d adoringly begged for an autograph.

Whatever the cause, the prosecutors persecuting Bonds have moved from aggressive investigation to obsession.

Flash mobs get bad rap, organizers say

Audrey Wong, The Public Press — Mar 15 2009 - 3:36pm

When “Sister Sara Femme” and the other “brides” boarded a tourist bus in Union Square Saturday, the passengers broke out in smiles.

“We’re free entertainment,” Femme said, batting her eyes.

A member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence – a gay activist organization – Femme and her cohorts were a handful of more than 200 people who dressed in wedding gowns, formal attire and more during the 11th annual Brides of March event in downtown San Francisco.

The women – and men – who take part in the festive celebration, don thrift store matrimonial wear and stroll through the city’s tourist areas drawing stares, grins and waves. This year, Femme sashayed in a pink silk gown altered to fit her broad shoulders.

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