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By Peter Albert, DTNA President
Mayor Newsom Meetings
We had invited Mayor Newsom to attend our next meeting, but as you probably know, he has immersed himself in demanding new business and cannot make this date. He has offered, however, to meet with a few representatives of neighborhood organizations on a monthly basis. DTNA was selected to participate, and I am clarifying the exact number of DTNA representatives with Joe Caruso of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services. As we struggle for better planning of the recycling center, public toilet and other Safeway site issues, I will look to Joe, the Mayor and Supervisor Dufty to support us and our recommendations.
Supervisor Updates
Supervisor Bevan Dufty came to our January meeting to ask us for feedback on the idea of a shelter for queer youth at the site of the Perramont Hotel near Cafe Du Nord. DTNA members present appeared impressed with the commitment to good management in this proposal, and thanked Sup. Dufty for bringing this to us early on. Supervisor Dufty also invited me to attend a Feb 25 planning session on "fixing" the big intersections along Market: at Church/14th, Sanchez/15th, Noe/16th and Castro/17th. I will report back on the meeting outcome.
New Newsletter Format
We are trying to keep our costs down and present you with a slimmer version of our newsletter. We hear from DTNA members how valued this newsletter is, and vow to keep bringing it to you even as costs escalate. Please help us by renewing or subscribing to DTNA. Also, please visit www.dtna.org. Ben Gardiner's good job on our website makes us the envy of other organizations.
Requiem for a Fallen Ash
I still plan to pick one tree from the Triangle to show- case in each issue: this time, it is the ash at Noe and 15th with the jade plant at its base, usually surrounded by Guy and his flowers. I studied each ash on Noe to make this choice...they are better trees as a group than they are individually, but I think this one is the best of the bunch. It does all the things these trees should: anchors the corner, makes a canopy, filters but admits sunlight, stands very tall but still spares the sidewalk from buckling. One of its neighbors was cut down a couple of years ago. It was eventually replaced with a magnolia, which, in its dark squatness, I consider a poor substitute. I implore our urban foresters to preserve these tall, airy, graceful ash groves. They are our signature tree, and I hope this acknowledgment will spare them from any future felling.
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Last modified Feb 26 2004