Don't miss the 'call to action' at the bottom of this post!
Supervisor Beya Alcaraz, appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie last week to finish the term of recalled Supervisor Joel Engardio, announced she’s looking into putting cars back on Sunset Dunes, undoing years of work and transforming it back into the Great Highway. At the same time, Supervisors Connie Chan and Shammann Walton, both long-time opponents to car-free spaces, are looking for more Supervisors to sponsor their measure to close the park.
From a call-to-action by Friends of Sunset Dunes:
The Supervisors are deciding now what will be on next year’s ballot. Putting cars back on the Great Highway would mean removing the skate park and pump track, no more seating or benches, ripping out the art, and an end to dune restoration work and designing our future park together as a community.
Of course, if a ballot measure got on the ballot, it would be the third time the voters of San Francisco have been asked whether they prefer cars or people on the asphalt strip formerly known as the Great Highway. Given the growing popularity of the park, it's unimaginable that on the third attempt, in a general election, the voters of San Francisco are suddenly going to change their minds.
Twice in the past three years, they've made it clear they want it as a park, first in 2022 with Measure I and then again in 2024 with Measure K. The voters approved the park by 55 percent. It's now the third-most popular park in San Francisco and it has only grown in popularity. But Supervisors Chan and Walton have already demonstrated that they will never stop trying to hold back San Francisco's progress towards a safer, greener city that isn't dominated by traffic.
"Our parks are part of what make San Francisco such a special place to live and visit, and Sunset Dunes will be a place where neighbors, families, and visitors can connect with nature and each other," said Mayor Daniel Lurie during a ceremony in April. "I’m grateful to the dedicated city workers from Rec and Park, Public Works, and SFMTA who worked tirelessly over the past few months to bring Sunset Dunes to life for our communities."
Let's not waste time and money on yet another measure in an attempt to re-legislate this issue. Be sure to write your letter today.
