Thank you to all the neighbors who participated in our January 24 on site activity day! We had over 40 people participate in the activities which generated a lot of great ideas and discussion around the project. We had fabulous weather and delicious food from April Nine Thai Restaurant.
Project Champions
Our first activity of the day was a brainstorming session to define the various roles and responsibilities of our Project Champions. We then asked for volunteers to sign up to be part of the Project Champion group and take on some of the roles we identified. As we enter the next phase of this project, it is the goal of the City agencies involved to begin to hand-over some of the responsibilities to this Project Champion group. This project is very much a community led effort and it is our goal to make sure this Champion group has the support it needs to succeed. If you are interested in being part of the Champion Group, please email jerad.weiner@sfdpw.org or call 415-641-2637
Soil Testing
We had representatives from the San Francisco Department of Public Health give a brief demonstration on how they test for toxins and contaminants in the soil. The Department of Public Health will be testing the soil on site which will help inform how we garden at the site.
Site Analysis
We broke into small groups to conduct a preliminary site analysis. The purpose of the site analysis activity was to inventory assets and gather information about the site which we will use when we begin to make design decisions for the garden. Participants gathered information regarding topography, sunlight, existing plants, views, circulation of people, quality of soil, and sense of space. We then shared our observations with the larger group.
Next steps…
Over the next few weeks, we will be meeting with those individuals who expressed interest in participating with the Champion group. We will be supporting the Champion group as they plan, and coordinate the next public meeting for the project. If you are interested in being part of the Champion Group, please email jerad.weiner@sfdpw.org or call 415-641-2637