A proposal to convert natural grass soccer fields in Golden Gate Park to astro-turf with 150,000 watt lighting will be decided by voters in November. The proposal is opposed by the San Francisco Green Party on environmental grounds.
From the San Francisco Green Party
June 28, 2014
Comparing the effects of toxic turf and lighting pollution to fracking, the San Francisco Green Party is urging the public to save Golden Gate Park.
At issue is 7+ acre grass meadow at the Beach Chalet Fields, which The City is planning to bulldoze and replace with an industrial-style soccer stadium complete with mega-wattage lighting and artificial turf.
As part of the Coalition to Protect Golden Gate Park, Greens contend the fields should be maintained as natural grass, noting that the grass fields have hosted sporting events in a natural context since the 1930’s.
Signatures are being gathered for a ballot initiative, the Golden Gate Park Recreational Fields Renovation Act, which clearly states that “All athletic fields in Golden Gate Park in the area west of Crossover Drive shall be maintained as natural grass. The City shall not permit nighttime sports field lighting in these areas.”
The Coalition, a determined group of citizens, not-for-profit organizations and associations, is on track to submit more than the required number of signatures to the Department of Elections by July 7.
San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee is now pushing his own ballot measure to ensure that the plan for fracking Golden Gate Park with toxic turf at the Beach Chalet Fields is seen to fruition. This competing measure was put forward by Supervisors David Chiu, Katy Tang, Mark Farrell, Eric Mar and Scott Wiener under the deceptive title of “Increased Usage of Children’s Playgrounds, Walking Trails and Athletic Fields Act.”
Mike Murphy, an active member of the Coalition, dubbed the Mayor’s plan a “Fake Fields Initiative” that seeks to reinvent parks and open spaces as “hazmat dumps for kids.”
The Coalition to Protect Golden Gate Park includes the SF Green Party, SF Ocean Edge, the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Take Back Our Parks, the San Francisco Watershed Protection Alliance and the Sunset Parkside Education and Action Committee.
For more information visit www.protectggp.org.
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