I moved to the Mission District in 1984. I loved it and I have missed it ever since I left in 1993. When it was announced that there would be two Sunday Street events in the Mission I was super jazzed! The Mission is always busy, always crowded, always loud. It has more life oozing out of it than any other place I have ever lived.
Seeing the streets closed to traffic, quiet, with children playing in the median and running across the lanes with complete freedom and joy was something I never thought I would see in the neighborhood that is the Heart of San Francisco.
For this Sunday, the streets belonged to the people. The buses were rerouted to make this possible and even the Police were on bicycles. Roller skates ruled instead of delivery trucks.
I know it can't be a huge party everyday on the streets of San Francisco, but maybe it could just be a city with more room for our kids to grow and our citizens to live freely.
It may be true that if you build it they will come, but first we have to dream it up. First we have to dream about the streets in front of our homes actually belonging to us. We have to dream of children playing stick ball, and Dads teaching kids how to ride without training wheels and neighbors talking on the front steps. We have to hear bicycle bells in our dreams and picture ourselves gliding down the street at ease with the world around us.
beautifully written, this site is really snowballing and deservedly so, well done you girls.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Philip! We are very happy to have you along for the ride!
ReplyDeleteYou may miss the Mission but I miss SF, especially that last Friday of the month they used to call Critical Mass!!! Do they still do it. The rides were always so much fun. Now that would be a great story.
ReplyDeletePaddy
Indeed! Every last Friday of the month. I will be there this month as several friends have expressed interest. I will take the camera and make sure to report back : )
ReplyDeleteThis entry made me all teary eyed, in an inspirational kind of way.
ReplyDeleteYes, we do need to dream it up.
I don't live in a very big city, but one filled with suburbs. As I cycle down the streets of suburbia I often think to myself "I wish bikes ruled the road".
Cycling puts a big smile on my face and allows me to take notice of things that I typically miss riding a bus or being a passenger in a car. Cycling also allows me to ride at a pace that better suits me and allows me to easily stop if I notice something interesting. It would be great to see more people in my Canadian suburb-filled city cycling around enjoying the sites, sounds and smells the place/space we live has to offer.
Dream, create, grow.