By Connie Chan : sfrichmondreview – excerpt
Golden Gate Park has a long history, celebrating its 152nd anniversary this year. It’s the third-most visited city park in the country and was built when Superintendent John McLaren had the vision at a time when San Franciscans were in desperate need of a green oasis.
McLaren preferred trees over statues and fought to protect plants and wildlife habitats against artificial structures, like state fairs and Ferris wheels. He loved Golden Gate Park so much that he literally lived in the Park. His residence was located at the east entrance of the Park, today known as the McLaren Lodge.
For years, I had the privilege of sitting and working in a corner in the attic of McLaren’s former residence as a Recreation and Park Department staff member. I treasured daily moments of walking through the Oakwood Trail when commuting to and from work. Over the years, I have learned that I have almost nothing in common with John McLaren, except that I share his vision for Golden Gate Park: it must remain a green oasis for all San Franciscans.
However, many things have changed since the days of John McLaren as our leader of the City’s green open space. According to a 2021 national report from the Trust for Public Land, San Francisco is #1 in the nation for spending on parks per capita, but not even in the top 10 for equity in those parks. Access for ALL of our residents to parks and open space is crucial, especially as we approach the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic…
We need to ensure our public parks are affordable and accessible to everyone, and Golden Gate Park is no exception. I believe we have the tools to strike the right balance between free and open access and reasonable fees to fund operations without restricting access to an exclusive few. Working together in a transparent and public process to find this balance is how we best uphold John McLaren’s vision of keeping Golden Gate Park a serene refuge for all…(more)
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