Supervisor Carmen Chu: Sunday Streets, Park Festival

The tough economic times have posed problems for individuals and families from all walks of life. That's why I teamed up with Congresswoman Jackie Speier to host a resource fair: "Crisis to Recovery," on Saturday, July 25, at the Dianne Feinstein Elementary School, to make it easier for everyone to access free counseling and information.

"Crisis to Recovery" brought in more than 300 attendees from all over San Francisco and beyond. Participants were able to receive free mortgage and credit counseling from HUD-approved non-profits, as well as free mortgage modification evaluations from major banking institutions. This was a great local forum for participants to receive the help they needed, free of charge and free of scams. Those who could not attend the event, but would like information on resources available to you, please contact our office at (415) 554-7460 or send us an e-mail at chustaff@sfgov.org. You can also visit our office Web site at www.sfgov.org/chu for a list of resources under "upcoming events."

Upcoming events
The summer season brings with it a host of outdoor community activities, and here are a few major events coming up soon.

Sunday Streets
Join us on Aug. 9 and Sept. 6 for our district's largest community event! Sunday Streets is a San Francisco citywide event that opens miles of car-free neighborhood streets to people for walking, biking and recreation. Our district will serve as host for two Sundays this summer, and we hope to see you out along the Great Highway route connecting Golden Gate Park to the San Francisco Zoo.

Last year's two Sunday Streets events drew more than 15,000 people each weekend. This year, the program has been expanded to six Sundays for everyone to explore four different neighborhoods through a variety of activities, including biking, skating and dancing. Our office has been working with the organizers of Sunday Streets, local merchants, organizations and performers to ensure that there is an activity for everyone.

Our most recent meeting took place on July 22 at Celia's Restaurant. We want to make sure that participating merchants and attendees have all of their concerns addressed prior to the event. We also encourage you to volunteer at the Sunday Streets events. A free lunch and T-shirts are provided to all volunteers. For more information about Sunday Streets routes and to volunteer, visit the Web site at www.sundaystreetssf.com. You can also contact our office.

Outside Lands Music Festival
The second annual Outside Lands Music Festival will be taking place inside Golden Gate Park from Aug. 28 (Friday) to Aug. 30 (Sunday). Residents surrounding Golden Gate Park have posed great questions and raised important concerns regarding this concert, and our office has been working with the SF Recreation and Park Department to make sure your questions and concerns are addressed.

The Rec. and Park Department recently held a meeting on July 23 at the Hall of Flowers in an effort to reach out to the Sunset community. If you were not able to attend the meeting, but have concerns related to the music festival, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

Monthly Pine Lake Park Clean-Up
Our monthly clean-ups have been quite successful at Stern Grove/Pine Lake Park. For August, we will focus our efforts on Sunset Boulevard. Join us on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 9 a.m. to noon, on the East side of Sunset Boulevard at Yorba Street. Dress in layers and bring friends and energy.

The SF Department of Public Works will provide gloves and clean-up materials. Help us keep our district clean and safe.

Support West Sunset Playground
Join the Friends of West Sunset Playground (FOWSP) and Double Rainbow Ice Cream for an ice cream social on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at West Sunset Playground - 39th Avenue and Ortega Street.

FOWSP is a community organization comprised of parents who are working to get West Sunset Playground rebuilt and safe for children. Draft plans of the playground will be displayed at the event. A jumpy house will be available for children 1 - 9 years old. $1 minimum donation per serving. Please visit www.fowsp.org for more information about the organization.

Carmen Chu is a San Francisco supervisor representing District 4.