Members of the HANC Board made two presentations regarding the actions of the Recreation and Parks Department's (RPD) incredibly rapid demolition and re-configuring of the former HANC Recycling center site at 780 Frederick, pointing out the failure of RPD to meet a previously announced community planning process and its violation of the March, 2011 Resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

On January 24th, at the RPD Commission meeting, HANC’s Vice President submitted a letter and gave testimony calling upon the Commission to direct its staff to involve neighborhood residents in the planning and development of the new “community garden” at the old recycling center site. He also reminded the Commission of the failure of RPD staff to address the March 8, 2011 Resolution of the Board of Supervisors dealing with recycling in Golden Gate Park (see full text at this link or scroll down). 

The following Tuesday, January 29th, a delegation of HANC Board members appeared before the Board of Supervisor during Public Comment and made a presentation on the failure of the RPD to carry out or even address the 2011 Resolution of the Board concerning the Recycling Center. The Resolution (see full text at this link) called upon the RPD to work with HANC to acccomplish three main things:

create a comprehensive recycling program for Golden Gate Park;

to work with HANC to “continue to serve Golden Gate Park, continue to fulfill its mission as a state required redemption center and to continue to provide San Franciscans the capacity to recycle material ineligible for curbside pick –up; 

and “to evict the HANC center in such a manner as to assure the uninterrupted continuity of the center’s operation and employment”

HANC Board members testified that not only did the RPD ignore these requests, it actually stopped previously conducted community planning meeting for the design and use for the site. Rumor now has it that the RPD plans to transfer the use and operation of the site to the San Francisco Parks Trust (formally known as Friends of Rec and Park), a private non-profit that has not participated in any outreach to the community on this issue.