Recreation & Fun

Mostly office days. Participated in meetings on a variety of timely topics including the City Fields Foundation, golf and Candlestick Park.

Today I held my bi-weekly meeting with Karen Kidwell, Executive Director of the San Francisco Parks Trust. The Parks Trust will be taking the lead on a "Gear-Up" campaign that hopes to raise money for five of our newest facilities: Harvey Milk Center for Recreational Arts, Hamilton Recreation Center, Sunnyside Playground/Clubhouse, Sunnyside Conservatory and Midtown Terrace.

In the afternoon, I went to a meeting in the Mayor's Office on the Hunters' Point Shipyard Project. The project is focused on the revitalization of the area through a mixed-use plan that includes opportunities for residential property, job creation, businesses and the creation of parks and open space. It's a fantastic opportunity for the city and local residents to take part in the rejuvenation of an area of the city that desperately needs some investment.

It was field trip day. Today a few members of my staff and I travelled up to Sonoma for meetings with the PGA. Sonoma is playing host to the Schwab Cup -- the Senior Golf Championship -- for another year before the tournament moves to Harding Park in November 2010. We are already preparing for this tournament and discussed ways to make our partnership with the PGA even stronger. It was good to see the tournament in action, which gave us a good idea of what to expect come next year.

This afternoon I had the great pleasure of attending Halloween festivities at the Tenderloin Children's Playground. It was quite the scene.... with lots of games, activities, dancing, costumes...and, okay, just a little candy.

Tenderloin Children's Playground is one of the sites I hear most about. The staff members here are all amazing and the programs are always some of the most popular around. In an area of the city that is short on open space and long on social ills, this playground remains one of the most positive influences on kids in the neighborhood.