Castro News Roundup

SF Fire Department to Hold Disaster Preparedness Training in Castro
As part of its ongoing efforts to prepare the public in case of a disaster, the SF Fire Department is sponsoring a six-week Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) workshop in the Castro starting May 17.

Throughout the course, attendees will learn about different types of fires, hazardous materials, search and rescue, team organization and management and disaster medicine in addition to other skills. The goal of the program is to make San Francisco residents more self-sufficient and train leaders who may direct untrained volunteers in case of a major disaster

Meetings will be held on Thursday evenings on May 17, 24, 31, and June 7, 14 and 21, from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the California Pacific Medical Center’s Davies Campus auditorium, located in the North Tower building at Castro Street and Duboce Avenue. Make-up sessions are allowed and the course is free.

To RSVP, call 970-2024 or e-mail sffdnert@sfgov.org. For more information on NERT, visit the Web site at www.sfgov.org/sffdnert.

Labyrinth Opens in Duboce Park
San Francisco’s first labyrinth in a public park was dedicated on Saturday, April 28 at Duboce Park.
The Scott Street Labyrinth has a 23-foot diameter with seating outside and a table labyrinth that allows the sight-impaired and others to trace a path with their fingers rather than walk the path.
A labyrinth is a single winding path that takes the visitor to a center place and back out again. Unlike a maze, it is not a puzzle and does not have multiple paths or dead ends. It is completely flat and intended for meditation, contemplation, or relaxation.

The community participated by making 225 4”x4” mosaic tiles which will ring the outside of the labyrinth as well as 17 mosaic anti-skateboard notches and the mosaic base of the table labyrinth.
The labyrinth is the second phase of the Duboce Park Playground Renovation Project that was initiated in 1998 by Friends of Duboce Park as part of a total renovation of both children’s play areas in the park.

The labyrinth was funded by a $25,000 grant from California Pacific Medical Center, a $5,000 grant from San Francisco Beautiful, and contributions of time and money from members of the Lower Haight and Duboce Triangle community and Friends of Duboce Park.

Bike to Work Day is May 17 – “Energizer Station” at Duboce and Market
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, along with people who already commute daily by bike, plans to welcome another 50,000 new cyclists during the Bay Area’s 13th annual Bike to Work Day, which will be held May 17.

The bicycle coalition has set up 25 “energizer stations” throughout San Francisco, including one in the Castro at the Duboce bikeway at Market Street. The station will be set up from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and offer free refreshments, encouragement and giveaways, as well as free advice on how to navigate the City. That night, the SF Bike Coalition will host a Bike Away from Work Party at the Rickshaw Stop at 155 Fell St. at with cocktails, music and prizes.
For more information, go to the Web site at sfbike.org.

Film Night in the Park to Show Films in Dolores Park
The San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation will kick off its 2007 Film Night in the Park series Saturday, May 19, at Washington Square Park in North Beach. “The Graduate” will screen at 8 p.m.

In total, eight different films will screen from May through October at Washington Square Park, Union Square and Dolores Park.

The film nights at Dolores Park will show “Hairspray” on June 2, “Sixteen Candles” on July 21 and “Sunset Boulevard” on Oct. 6. All movies are on Saturday and start at 8 p.m.
For more information on the SF Neighborhood Theater Foundation, visit sfntf.org.

Duboce Triangle Florist Wins Business Award
Guy Clark, owner of Guy’s Flowers on Noe Street in Duboce Triangle, received the “Small Business of they Year” award at the California Legislature’s Small Business Day 2007 on May 2.

Assemblyman Mark Leno nominated Clark for the award which was given in Sacramento. Leno praised Clark for his “ingenuity and artistic talents.” Clark has operated his store for 25 years
Clark, who is African-American, was the target of a hate crime in January.

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