Mission Mission

Unlike me, some people were clearly not deterred by the rain and left their homes this weekend.  I’m glad they did, because it led to awesome gray-skied photos of Dolores Park.

(Photo 1 / Photo 2 by mydogjesusbomb)

It was thunderstorming in Dolores Park, but that did not stop the police from hassling Pork in the Park:

While I could deal with the rain and all that bullshit what I couldn’t deal with was the fucking cops rolling up on me. I see dude strolling up with his fucking citation book and figure I should probably turn down Mack Attack and deal with this bullshit. Dude asks for id and checks the shit while he fills out his No Fun Allowed slip. He realizes my birthday is in a few days and gives me a break but tells me I got to move. I explain that I’ve done this before and the park dudes are cool with it as long as I clean up. Then dude gives me some retarded opened ended answer like telling me to pack it up and move “if you can.” If I fucking can? So I can stay?  He doesn’t give me an answer and basically it boils down to I can kick it but if his lieutenant comes through I’m getting a ticket and kicked out.

Read on…

Since our post last week regarding SafeCleanGreen Mission Dolores’ efforts to “improve” the park, a number of real journalists did some real journalism.  Normally I would go into the subject a little more, but it is the Friday before a long weekend and I would rather just quote other people’s hard work at length.  Here is the highlight reel (emphasis added all over the place):

On drinking:

People who have a permit for a picnic are allowed to drink alcohol in the park, according to Rec and Park spokeswoman Lisa Seitz Gruwell. If parkgoers are not complying with the rules, however, they will be cited, [Mission Police Station Capt. Stephen Tacchini] said.

“I don’t think ‘crackdown’ is the word we want to use,” he said. “What we want to do is inform people about what’s permissible in the park and what’s not — we want to get their cooperation.” [Examiner]

On community events:

In addition, the city has revised its permit policy, restricting the number of large events to one per weekend and no more than two per month. According to neighbors, events with amplified sound have been happening nearly every weekend. [Mission Loc@l]

Note – We unsuccessfully attempted to reach neighborhood services superintendent Bob Palacio for clarification as to what defined a “large” event.  Presumably Dolores Park Movie Night falls into this category, which means there will only be one additional permit issued per month?

From Robert, member of Dolores Heights Improvement Club who works withSafeCleanGreen:

The tone of the report and maybe the realization that the neighborhood is capable of organizing itself and getting some city action, got the pot boiling. Let’s be clear, we don’t want to end the scene, stop all major events and ban off-leash dog access in Dolores. We just believe that the popularity of Dolores has exceeded the attention she needs from the City and her neighbors. We intend to change that.

Early next year, Rec and Park will host a series of public meetings asking for input into how the 14 million dollars of park revitilization money will be spent. And by Spring, the playground will close for its rebuild. We need a Dolores Park advocacy group in place now. [Dolores Park View]

We asked Robert to clarify the bolded statement, as he offered this explanation:

Rec and Parks has put together a plan to not green light every event that wants to set up in Dolores. It was just too much wear and tear on the park and the nerves of the locals. We can hear every word and note from these big events for several blocks.  Balance, that is all.   Most of us know what a great thing we have happening here.  The social vibrancy of this park is a thing to be cherished.  If we can bring a little order and get everyone to pick up their trash and not set off fireworks at 1 am., with out killing the whole scene, great.

Take Action:

On September 16th, 7 pm at the Dolores Park Church, 455 Dolores Street, the coalition of park supporters [...] will meet again to form goals and to strategize. [Dolores Park View]

Around the Web:

• Police Cleaning Up Dolores Park [Examiner]
• Dolores Park Progress Report [Dolores Park View]
• Dolores Park Turf War [Mission Loc@l]

Previously on Mission Mission:

• Leaked Memo Reveals Effort to ‘Improve’ Dolores Park

The skyline from Dolores Park was off the hook yesterday.  Luckily Potential Past was on the scene so you don’t have to look at my crappy cellphone pictures.

(Photo 1 / Photo 2)

I know this looks newsy, but feel free to pay attention anyway. Reader A. tonight forwarded along an internal email memo circulated by the group SafeCleanGreen Mission Dolores. The memo, titled “Dolores Park Progress Report,” updates members on progress made on each of a number of concerns and initiatives.

Most of what they’re talking about here sounds entirely positive: improved safety, improved sanitation and irrigation, improved signage.

The thing is, with improvement comes sacrifice apparently. They are down on dogs, big events, drinking and drugs — things that absolutely make Dolores Park the bastion of freedom and fun so many of us know and love. And maybe that’s fine. Change can be good.

But when a group angling for change lauds increased police presence for its ability to “dampen the spirits of those who are inclined to come to DP for unfettered drinking and carousing,” it gives us pause. We are wary of any organization so giddy about dampening the spirits of others.

The memo says, “Rec&Park recognizes the need to set a new tone in the park.” And maybe that’s true. Maybe somebody needs to remind people more forcefully to pick up their god damn trash.

But should that job be entrusted to a closed organization? The group’s website explains:

“SafeCleanGreen membership is by invitation or referral only. To join, please email and tell us a little bit about yourself and how you found out about us. Be sure to include your address and contact information. You’ll hear back shortly from our Yahoo Group Moderator.”

In any case, maybe it is the end of an era. Maybe it’s time for dogs to be on leashes and community events to be denied permits. Maybe this group is on the right track. Or, maybe they’re a mobilized minority trying to flip the script on a beloved national treasure behind everyone’s back. This is not for us to say. And this is not a call to action, as this is not a call-to-action type blog. But if citizens outside this closed organization have an opinion to voice too, the memo name drops Dolores Park Park Manager Bob Palacio ( bob.palacio@sfgov.org ) and Supervisor Bevan Dufty ( Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org ).

Full memo after the jump.

(more…)

Tonight at 7pm is another edition of bike polo in Dolores Park with Oakland facing off with SF.  While this isn’t necessary news, I’m loving the bile/shit-talking coming out of the Oaktown Society of Recreation’s email list:

For those unfamiliar with public transit systems, the “BART” snake-carriage machine will drop you off at 16th and mission, and when you exit the underground passenger depository station tell a friendly san francisco-an “yo… im from Oaklan how da fuck i get to DOUGH-LORE-EHS park?” while making menacing body movements that invade their personal space. and dont worry – they’ll be more afraid of you than you are of them, the same way the sf whackers fear us on the courts of polo, ‘cuz we insane.

Previously:

Volleybonk

Bike Polo

This past weekend, we noticed that the police had setup a mobile command unit outside of Dolores Park.  Now it appears that the police are getting serious about people enjoying themselves in the park.  From Dolores Park View:

At 5 pm this evening I spotted two mountain bike patrol officers issuing citations for public drinking to two men sitting on the lawn just above Gay Beach off 20th street. These guys were neither obviously drunk, rowdy or committing any other nuisance.

The officers told me that Mission Station Chief, Steve Tacchini had issued new orders this morning ordering the drinking in Dolores Park to be brought under control. “Park neighbor had come to him complaining” the officer said.

Up till today, officers patrolling the park have told me they would not issue citations unless the offender was noticeably drunk, belligerent or violent. Public urination was another quick ticket to court. Captain Tacchini told a group of Mission Dolores Neighbors at a August 7 meeting in Supervisor Bevan Dufty’s office that I attended, that while violence would not be tolerated, citing people for drinking and smoking in Dolores was not a priority. Something must have happened in the two weeks to have changed his mind. (link)

Seriously?  The voice of one idiot is more important than the hundreds of people that enjoy this park everyday?

Drew Hoolhorst, my new favorite San Francisco blogger, spent yesterday afternoon in Dolores Park:

I was hanging out this afternoon in Dolores Park and a few things dawned on me:

1. Dolores Park is essentially the crowd for a Phish show that has no idea that Phish is not coming. And that they are not at a concert venue. And that it is, in fact, not legal to do drugs in downtown San Francisco. This is also why Dolores Park is mesmerizing and is also basically one big car accident that you cannot stop staring at. I was offered today (in no particular order) weed truffles, a banana cream pie, a small ukulele, a hula hoop lesson, a thick leather bracelet that went out of style in “always”, cold beer, water (ha! just kidding), and finally (my favorite): a couple’s demanding that we all watch them make out. Quick note about the couple. Hey guys, either start taking off some clothes or go home. Otherwise, all I’m getting is skinemax, and every time I try to fast forward it’s just the part where you have all your clothes on and give each other eskimo kisses. Wait, you’ve never seen that in a porn? Weird! Neither have I! This porn sucks.
2. Swingsets and many other childhood games/playground items are essentially like putting your kid in a taxi cab in downtown Cairo with no seatbelt on, and then leaving them in the car while you light firecrackers and chuck them in the window while laughing. (No, I have never been to Cairo, but that’s just me assuming it’s dangerous while also possibly skewing towards “accidentally racist”)  (Link)

Other great entries:

• “Don’t Pass This Apartment Up!“
• “Splenda: The Redheaded Stepchild of Delicious“
• “Are you my ex-girlfriend? Call me!“

He also has a pretty amazing twitter stream.

From 10-5, the police did not seem interested in doing anything more dramatic than giving homeless people a hard time, but I noticed the typical drug-bizarre was missing from Hipster Hill.  Did they ever come out and taze some bros?

…asks Brolores Park.  (link)