Shape Up Summit
The Shape Up San Francisco Coalition of neighborhood groups, health providers, businesses, schools and city agencies will hold a summit this week to unveil a five-year plan to address why certain neighborhoods and racial groups in the city suffer more from chronic diseases than others.
…
For example, it’s hard for residents of Bayview-Hunters Point to find fresh produce in their neighborhood. In addition to having encouraged Fresh and Easy to move into the neighborhood, Shape Up is working with Super Save on Third Street to stock more healthful food.
The group has also received a $250,000 federal grant to encourage more kids to walk or bike to school. It will look at routes around 15 schools and figure out where new stop signs, stop lights or crosswalks should be placed. The group is also lobbying the feds to subsidize public school lunches at a higher rate in expensive cities like San Francisco.
The summit is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday inside City Hall’s South Light Court. On hand will be Gil Penalosa who created Ciclovia, the opening of streets every Sunday in Bogota, Columbia, that inspired Newsom’s Sunday Streets program here. Also featured will be Bryant Terry, described as an “eco-chef and food activist.”
I guess anything which helps to keep active transportation like walking and biking in the spotlight is a good thing. But I do wonder how substantive any changes would be allowed to be.
For instance, when the bike injunction gets lifted, will anyone pay attention to places like Bayview-Hunters Point? I hope so.
As far as fresh produce, I’m big on sustainability and self-reliance, which means community gardens. I want to see more of them, more land allotted to them, more funding and general political support for them, etc.
There should also be a Bike Kitchen-like facility in Bayview-Hunters Point.
Leave comment (0)[p.s. The Forums are open for participation.]
