Golden Gate Park News -- November 5, 2007

Here is an old postcard of the Dutch Windmill, near the beach in Golden Gate Park, to illustrate a pair of interesting items.

-- Northbound traffic on the Great Highway was always backed up from the end of JFK Drive during times of heavy traffic because the city had installed a stop sign there, very close between Fulton Street and the exit from Beach Chalet. I was very happy a couple of weeks ago to see that they had activated stop lights at JFK. Traffic has been smooth for the last two weeks.

-- The Richmond (District) Review had a story about a proposal by the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee to build a traditional walled Chinese garden along Fulton Street from about 31st Avenue to Spreckels Lake. Neighbors are worried about the wall, and that traffic will increase and parking become even worse than it is now. I have mixed feelings on the subject. I like a nice garden, but I worry that the city won't be able to maintain it, and that the wall will be ugly on the outside. I wonder if there is some other place in the city where it would be more appropriate. We need to keep the open spaces we still have in Golden Gate Park.

The Dutch and Muphy windmills were built to pump water from a freshwater acquifer near the beach. The Murphy windmill has been completely taken apart. I hope they will be able to rebuild it.