Letters to the Editor

Editor:
It is imperative that the proposed $5 entrance fee for the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum not be implemented. The garden is a public resource, so unfettered access is imperative. There are three entrances to the gardens, so the salaries (and associated costs) for three ticket takers will need to be deducted from revenues. Many visitors to San Francisco, having already shelled out the extortionate entrance fees for other attractions in the area, will not choose to pay. The wonderful library, with its art exhibits, will also be off limits unless one pays.

The gardens are also a place where many participants in, and visitors to, the shows at the under-utilized County Fair Building go to take a break. Many joggers love to breeze through. Personally, I sometimes enjoy spending 10 minutes walking from one main entrance to another. Charging entrance fees will be a tragedy for the entire Bay Area. Alternatives need to be pursued.

To protest this move, contact Rec. and Park Manager Jared Blumenfeld at (415) 831-2701 or jared.blumenfeld@sfgov.org and the SF Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum's Executive Director Michael McKechnie at (415) 661-1616, ext. 415.
Harry S. Pariser

Editor:
Reporter George McConnell does a good job in your January issue summarizing the latest details and potential legal morass in his piece on local transit, "Geary BRT plan getting ready for EIR."

Indeed it is true that at a meeting held in December, the majority of commenters spoke against bus rapid transit. If I may offer extra context, most of the comments in opposition didn't make a lot of sense. They are complaints from folks who come across as exasperated and confused. Heard of global warming? Dependence on autos and foreign oil?

For (many BRT opponents), BRT isn't about better public transportation; it's about "big money and urban renewal." God forbid that should happen to the Richmond, especially in the name of progress.
Anthony L. Lazarus