Mission Creek Sports Park - Sports

Saturday saw the Grand Opening of the visionary Mission Creek Sports Park beneath the freeway at Mission Bay...see previous blogs....

One of the outstanding achievements of the sports park is to have the only beach volleyball court in San Francisco.

It sits at the end of the creek and, like the basketball court opposite, is under cover of the freeway and sheltered from the weather.

Little could the designers have known when they conceived their plans that Misty May and Kerri Walsh would catapult the sport into the headlines by


winning their second Olympic gold medal.

The court has been ready for a few weeks and is already popular.

'I think it's wonderful they have this court available,' said Erin. 'This is the second time I've been here. It is a great environment and a nice resource.'

Erin and Cassie, both in their twenties and regular players, were sitting on the side at a picnic bench watching a match.

Cassie said that up to now they had been having to travel as far away as Santa Cruz to play so it was great to have a city court.

'Only we don't want it to be too popular!' quipped Erin.

Since Cassie discovered the park, she has been organizing games of both five or six a side, and twos, she said.

Does she have any aspirations to be the next Misty May and Kerri Walsh?

She laughed, joking about her age of 25 years. 'I realise that if I'm not on that track by now, I never will be!' she said.

The basketball court across the path was full of people from early morning enjoying practicing skills and playing games that were organized by volunteers.

'I think it's really great that they have all these volunteers to set something up for the community. It gives us a chance to meet our neighbours,' said Ada.

Later in the day some were trying out the new fenced-in tennis courts on the other side of the freeway.

Others took advantage of the bright sunshine and paddled up the creek in bright red and yellow kayaks past picturesque houseboats.

The craft are stored in an artistically designed Kayak House alongside the creek that is especially eye-catching at night. Styled as a hull of a historic wooden ship with a translucent blue skin, it is lit at night and shines like a beacon down the path.

More a lighthouse than a Kayak House!

A plaque on the side describes it as 'a small dramatic structure that adds a whimsical sculptural element to the park's experience.' That it certainly is. It's designers are MK Think, an architectural and designer firm, and the kayaks are owned and run by UCSF Campus Life Services and are able to be hired by the public.

During the Grand Opening party, children had their own spot too. A long table had been set up near the volleyball and basket ball courts where they could sit and crayon and have their faces painted by Fairy Willow.

Dad Frank, sitting with one-year-old Kenton on his knee and four-year-old Kelly playing alongside, was very happy with the park.

'I like it here,' he said. 'This is good to meet people and know how to get community,' he said.

And if you didn't want to engage in sports, you could simply stroll around the beautiful gardens or sit by the side of the creek admiring the view and listening to the band, the aptly named Pollo del Mar.

pics show the volleyball court; Fairy Willow, Kenton (1), Frank, Kelly (4); basketball with Ada, in pink.

For more pics click here

Opening of Mission Creek Sports Park

'Volleyball under a freeway! exclaimed San Fran's mayor, Gavin Newsom this afternoon. 'This is an example for the nation!'

His statement heralded the opening of a visionary sports park at Mission Creek, a park he defined as not just iconic for San Francisco but for the nation.

Several hundred people today were celebrating the Grand Opening of the Mission Creek Sports Park in downtown San Fran as part of the 2008 Mission Bay Parks Festival. They also saw the festival inaugurated as an annual event in the city's calendar.

The sports park, sited literally under the expressway, is a triumphant reclamation of 4.5 acres of neglected, partly shady land.

The former disused land lies at the end of the creek running down from the Giants' ballpark. It's sporty and recreational makeover includes a designer kayak house, beach volleyball, basket ball and tennis courts, garden and grassy areas, a children's playground and dog park, in part artistically designed around enormous concrete pillars that support the freeway. Restroom facilities are soon to be added.

To mark the occasion a great number of activities took place from early morning to mid-afternoon, including sports and face-painting for children, a charity event, and informative displays on conservation and development of the Mission Bay area. There was also a band that played throughout the day, a couple of local artists, and stalls promoting Mercy Housing and rental or purchase of newly-built condos and apartments.

'Candidly, I saw the vision of this project a few years ago but you never know how well things are going to turn out,' said Mayor Newsom. The outcome, he said, had exceeded his expectations.

Standing alongside the translucent blue Kayak House, he recounted taking a kayaking trip from Sausalito.

'I got out under the Golden Gate Bridge! I ain't never going to do it again! he said. With a glance at the far gentler waters of the creek, he smiled, 'This is more my style!'

Thrilled at the benefits that the park will bring to the community, he said that the city had also redone 70 parks and playgrounds in every community.

Two Proclamations were presented to formally establish the park and also the Mission Bay Parks Festival as an annual event.

One, signed by the mayor on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco, was read out by compere Corinne Woods, Chair of the Mission Bay Citizens Advisory Committee.

The second, a brief one from the California Legislature, was read by Francee Covington, Commission President of the SF Redevelopment Agency, and is as follows:

"Congratulations on celebrating the Grand Opening of the Mission Creek Sports Park. I commend your efforts in providing recreational facilities for the benefit of the community. Your dedication and commitment continue to contribute to the public wellbeing. Congratulations and thank you for all that you do!' It was signed by Assemblyman Mark Leno.

Commenting on the park, the Commission President said, 'This is a gorgeous park and I'm happy to be here,' adding that it is the fifth one in Mission Bay.

The Director of the Redevelopment Agency, Mr Fred Blackwell, also spoke. He called the park a 'wonderful' achievement.

'I'm new at the job,' he said, 'I get the opportunity to get the credit for a lot of things that have gone on here!'

He described the urban development project as a 'mixed use area' that is transit-oriented and includes retail and commercial units, and housing.

The area is a showcase for some of the latest expensive apartments and condos, but Mr Blackwell said 30 per cent was affordable housing to reflect the entire city of San Francisco.

At the end of the main speeches, a long turquoise ribbon attached to kayak paddles was unfurled. Mayor Newsom, waving a large pair of scissors, cheerfully invited all those who wanted to join him to stand behind it!

A small number of people eagerly clustered with Maxwell the beagle in centre spot.

And then with the whole crowd giving a hearty countdown followed by a few - wrist-wrenching! -snips...San Francisco had one of the most innovative parks in the country and a new festival.

***other interviews to follow***

Click here for an album of pics

Misty May and Kerri Walsh in San Fran

Olympic gold medallists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are in San Francisco!

Hundreds of people turned out this afternoon to sit in hot sunshine on the end of a pier to watch them play in a beach volleyball tournament. And afterwards the girls willingly mingled with excited supporters who queued for their autographs.

To loud cheers, Misty and Kerri won their match, 21 - 17 in the first game and 21 - 16 in the second, and are through to the quarterfinals to be played tomorrow.

The girls are rising celebrities since they won their second gold medal and are having an enormous influence on the sport and young people.

As the match was in progress, three thirteen-year-old girls were allowed by an official to kneel close to the pitch and take pics.

Afterwards, the teenagers were exuberant.

'I really like Kerri Walsh and Misty May,' said Lizie. 'I think they're really good together. They have talent! Very good talent!'

While Julia said, 'I think it's really cool that we can see them up close and that we can get their autographs, because I'm a really big fan of Kerri Walsh and Misty May.'

'I've known them for a couple of years - I've been watching them for a couple of years,' explained Payne. 'I think they are amazing athletes and I remember watching them at the Olympics and watching them now, it's really cool.'

All three girls play beach volley ball themselves. Payne added of watching Misty and Kerri, 'It encourages me to play like them.'

While Lizie said with a big smile, ' It inspires us.' Julia nodded enthusiastically at her side.

The tournament is called the AVP Crocs Cup Shootout and is being held on Pier 30 -32, about midway between the Giants' ballpark and Fisherman's Wharf.

The gold medallists' opponents were Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordon, an equally tall and athletic-looking duo who for a few rounds in the first game kept the scoring close with some spirited and skilful play.

But the superb skills of the Olympians were destined to win out. Watching the girls in real life gives an appreciation of their athletic physique and prowess. It was also fun to see their finger-waggling secret communications to each other behind their backs.

In the second game, as the score reached 20 - 15 the crowd were asked to stand for match point. We were almost there! The game closed to resounding cheers at 21 - 16.

Some of the tournament proceeds are going to a children's charity, Dig 4 Kids. This helps to provide education and exercise programmes in disadvantaged communities and was founded by another Olympic Gold Medallist in beach volleyball, Eric Fonoimoana, eight years ago.

During one of the breaks, a group of young people scrabbled in the sand to find a plastic bottle of hair product hidden on behalf of hair company Paul Mitchell.

For the winning girl who produced it with a flourish, the prize was...a volley ball!

Afterwards, at the end of the match, a group of young girl dancers and singers, the Beach Girlz, performed on a small stage to a backing version of the Beachboys.

But many of the crowd still had their eyes on Misty and Kerri. Misty sat in the players' rest area by the side of the pitch to meet the public while Kerri moved slightly out of the pitch arena. She organised the crowd into a long queue, and with police keeping an eye on security, happily stood and signed autographs, many signatures going onto mini volley balls that people were wearing around their necks.

I caught up again with Lizie, Julia and Payne and so took another pic of them triumphant with autograph.

Also in the queue were a young couple who had thoroughly enjoyed the match. 'It looked like they- Misty and Kerri - beat them easily,' said the guy.

Did they think the crowd were fired up in support of them, rather than the other girls?

'Yes,' said the girl I was speaking to, 'I think they're fired up because they - Misty and Kerri - won the gold medal.'

Kerri, who is from San Jose, in the Bay Area was interviewed on Friday by NBC and repeated what she said after the Olympics that both she and Misty hope to retire for a while to start families.

***pics show the tournament and autograph signings
***pic of Lizie, Julia and Payne have blurred faces at the request of one of their mum's.