later kirsten -- where is kirsten? a city planning and don of parks and rec as well as tradection professionals studied the park to ensure it met all the professional standards required of a san francisco city park ~. thank you, don. and kirsten, thank you, parks and rec. thank you, jamie, and thank you, cliff and katy for all your hard work. the children's play structure will be coming in the next few months. construction of the park is finished. the original plan for emerald park called for cities to buy the land and all the improvements as well as pay for the ongoing matesv. in these times of great stress on the city's budget, this solution proved difficult and we are so pleased to say today, let me reiterate alastair's words, that our arrangement with the wonderful parks alliance, allows us to make a donation so that the people of

san francisco, particularly those in rincon hill, will be able to enjoy emerald park 7 days a week forever with absolutely no cost to the city or to the people of san francisco. speaking for me as well as peter who couldn't make it today, this gift gives us an enormous amount of pleasure. i am also speaking as i rarely do for my wonderful wife, dr. rio, who is an me. over the last 38 years, san francisco has been incredible to us and it is truly marvelous to pay back a little bit of our debt. we love the city and are so honored to be able to help in this small way. thank you. (applause) >> thank you. and now it is my pleasure to welcome to the podium rosemary cameron the founding president of the board of the san

francisco parks alliance. rosemary has pep her entire career in the public sector working in a regional and municipal parks and recreation, city management, legislative affairs, and communication. she continues to consult on marketing, branding, communication, social media, and fund-raising. rosemary has served as the president of the board of the parks alliance ever since its founding two years ago. rosemary. (applause) >> thank you, matt. and thank you all for being here today. this is a beautiful day in san francisco and it's a really special day in san francisco. what i would like to do is offer on behalf of the entire board of directors of the san francisco parks alliance confirmation that on tuesday evening, by unanimous vote, we agreed to accept the easement from the emerald fund for this

beautiful half acre park in the center of a neighborhood on the rise here. really central to the mission of the san francisco parks alliance is the promotion of the expansion of parks throughout san francisco for all san franciscans to enjoy. and what we are really especially humbled by and appreciative of and wish to say that emerald fund for this incredibly unique, generous, and creative way to provide a brand-new public open space in the middle of this rapidly developing neighborhood. we especially want to thank mr. mctaggert, and mr. erickson, and all from the emerald fund for really understanding the importance of parks, for understanding how important open space and green space is

for everyone in san francisco, but most especially for families and families with children who are rapidly moving into this area. and i understand there is going to be more and more of them over the years. so, getting this park in place at this point in time is truly significant. their commitment to providing the park is very significant. they spent over $2 million designing and building the park. there is a playground to come very shortly. and as you heard, they've agreed to provide the maintenance for it in perpetuity. this is a big win for san franciscans, a very big win for san franciscans. so, i really do want to offer my very special thanks to the entire emerald fund for this wonderful gift. and i'd like to turn it back to matt.

(applause) >> thank you, row mary. and now it is my special honor to welcome to the podium the mayor of the city and county of san francisco, mayor ed lee. (applause) >> thank you, matt. good afternoon, everybody. you know, i've been thinking about how special this announcement is today and it's just july. i've been trained all my life not to expect gifts until the end the year when it's closer to the holidays. but looking at this unique relationship of the parks alliance, with the emerald fund, and with the city and county of san francisco, it is very special. it is indeed a smart, very special gift to the city as a whole. and let me say why it is. you know, we used to and we have been always talking about public-private partnerships.

well, now there's three ps. it's public and then it's private, and then it's semi private. the parks alliance has been a semi-private entity ever since isabelle wade stepped in my doorway and said, we've got to do more. and matt owe grade i brought in the park avenue katz following and we've honored as much of the promises to them ~ because they work so well on behalf of the rest of the citizenry of san francisco. and, so, i suggest to you that the emerald park as it is announced today in a public-private and semi-private partnership that is occurring will be, i think, the signalling of a new model going forward for the rest of the city. that as we proceed with this incredible investor confidence that the emerald fund has that the housing and development has, we'll also be asking for

new types of partnerships to be created because it is no longer just the city that has to run the park system. we have to run it in a better and smarter way. and what can be better is that alliance that we have with the parks alliance. i think -- and i want to thank again the leadership and the private sector oz and alastair, and to your particularly spouses today, that you signal that this means so much to the city and to the families that we want to invite and the increasing populations to want to enjoy our city, that it is led by the park system. the parks are so valuable to the world class status of the city. and open space is incredibly important to us and we're going to continue to have those wonderful conversations and make commitments along the way that indeed signal that, and continue to be the best urban park system in america that we

earned last year and we want to continue earning for the rest of america and keep putting forth those models for the rest of the country to see so that my friends, be they the mayor of new york or the mayor of chicago can envy us on the eve of my going to the white house to receive, with the giants, the 2012 world series championship, recognition that we continue to also receive the world class recognition they would have for our park system. this is what it means. but it also means that challenges that were signalled literally just a few months ago when this park was established. how do you maintain a gift? how do you look the gift horse in the mouth and say, well, we can't accept it because we can't maintain it, for them to come up with one of the most innovative models for the rest of the country to follow is an important part of this everlasting gift. because not only do we receive this half acre with great

appreciation, but we will take care of it with our other partners for years and years to come as part of the system, maintain it as well as to receive the newness of it. going forward, we can't maintain every gift that we get. we can't maintain all the things that we want to have for the rest of our city as we expand our park system. so, you're going to hear more and more of this model being created, but it is wonderful to announce this type of gift and to announce the figuring out of its maintenance for many generations to come. this is why i think the city of san francisco is so pleased with so many smart minds in the business community, in our nonprofit community, of course, in the city. congratulations to everybody. congratulations to the supporters of the emerald park. and when the noise turns down from the construction all over

this area, you're going to be blessed even more with this great park for every generation to come. thank you and congratulations to everybody. (applause) >> thank you, mr. mayor. well, they say the devil is in the details, but sometimes there is an angell in the details as well. let me walk you through a few of the specifics of how this actually will work. so, this is a conservation easement that is a legally binding attachment that will go onto the title of this property. once it is filed, it cannot be revoked. this is forever. under this conservation easement, the emerald fund gives up its right to the development of this site also forever. it dictates it will always be a park and always be open to the public. the conservation easement also dictates that the emerald fund assumes full responsibility for the maintenance and the upkeep of this park. the conservation easement

spells out clearly defined standards for the maintenance of this park and these standards define this park to maintain essentially to be in the beautiful condition you see it in today. it also spells out the emerald fund agrees to pay for the installation of a new children's play structure which will go upright behind us here today. that structure is on order. i understand it's a few weeks to get it delivered and they'll go forward with the installation as soon as possible. after that, once that installation is complete, this park will be open to the public. the parks alliance will be the steward of this conservation easement and that means it is our duty to monitor this easement, to make sure that this remains a park, remains open to the public, and remains in this beautiful condition that it's now in, also forever. it bears repeating that within

a few weeks emerald park will open to the public forever at no cost to the city or to the people of san francisco. so, i want to give special thanks here to the people who helped to make this happen. first off, i want to acknowledge since 1971, the san francisco parks alliance and its predecessor organization have been supported through the legal counsel of the law firm [speaker not understood]. and the executive director for the past two years, i have trouble imagining any possible way that the parks alliance could exist and has not been for the pro bono legal counsel that we've seen over the years. that has continued in this day in the form of board member lynn iceder blurbing behind me. glenn is a partner with pillsbury and he took the lead role himself in personally drafting this conservation easement, making sure that the parks alliance ~ role as

steward is well articulate and had well reflected in this. we're also joined today by bill hutton who is the attorney representing the emerald fund and they put together an incredible deal for us, incredibly quickly. glenn, i cannot thank you enough. (applause) >> thank you. finally, of course, we cannot conclude without giving a special thanks to [speaker not understood] and alastair and saline and peter for their incredible generosity in making this special arrangement to provide a public park to san francisco forever. let's have a big round of applause and thanks to all of them. (applause) >> it's quite a noisy setting, but i think why don't we take a try at -- if there are any

questions from the media for just a minute or two, we'll take a stab at that and we'll also be available for individual interviews after that. do we have any questions from any members of the media that would like to try in the group setting? >> [speaker not understood]. >> question about what will be the cost for the maintenance and how will that be handled. alastair, do you want to take that? >> we estimate around $45,000 a year. >> we're guesstimating somewhere around $45,000 a year. once we run it for a while, we'll know much better. >> additional questions? we'll see you, then. let's call this press conference to a close. thank you all for coming. we'll remain available for individual interviews on an as call basis. thank you all.

... >> this lodge is home to some of the best fly casting pools in the world. these shallow concrete pools don't have fish. this is just a place where people come to practice their fly casting technique. ith was built in the 1930's and ever since, people have been

coming here to get back to nature. every year, the world championship of fly casting is held in san francisco and visitors from all over the globe travel to be here. >> we are here with phil, general manage of san francisco rec and parks department at the anglers lodge. what do you think about this? >> it is spectacular, travis from oregon, taught me a snake roll and a space cast. >> there are people from all over the world come to san francisco and say this is the place to be. >> yeah. it's amazing, we have teams from all over the world here today and they are thrilled. >> i flew from ireland to be here. and been practicing since for the competition. all the best casters in the

world come here. my fellow countryman came in first place and james is on the current team and he is the head man. >> it's unique. will not see anything like it where you go to compete in the world. competitions in ireland, scotland, norway, japan, russia each year, the facilities here in the park are second to none. there is no complex in the world that can touch it. >> i'm here with bob, and he has kindly agreed to tell me everything i need to know about casting. i'm going to suit up and next, we're in the water. >> what any gentleman should do. golden gate angling has free lessons the second saturday of every month. we have equipment show up on the

9:30 on the second saturday of every month and we'll teach them to fly cast. >> ok. we are in the water. >> let me acquaint you with the fly rod. >> nice to meet you. >> this is the lower grip and the upper grip. this is a reel and a fly line. we are going to use the flex of this rod to fling away. exactly as you moved your hands. >> that's it? >> that's it. >> i'm a natural. >> push both arms forward and snap the lower hand into your tummy. push forward. >> i did gave it a try and had great time but i might need some more practice. i met someone else with real fly casting skills. her name is donna and she is an international fly casting champion. >> i have competed in the casting ponds in golden gate park in san francisco.

i have been to japan and norway for fly casting competition. i spend my weekends here at the club and at the casting pond. it's a great place to learn and have fun. on a season day like this, it was the perfect spot to be. i find fly casting very relaxing and also at the same time very challenging sport. takes me out into the nature. almost like drawing art in the air. and then i can make these beautiful loops out there. >> even though people from across the globe come here to compete, it's still a place where locals in the know relax and enjoy some rely unique scenery. until next time, get out and play!

>> i have been a cable car grip for 21 years. i am a third generation. my grand farther and my dad worked over in green division for 27. i guess you could say it's blood. >> come on in.

have a seat. hold on. i like it because i am standing up. i am outside without a roof over my head and i see all kinds of people. >> you catch up to people you know from the past. you know. went to school with. people that you work with at other jobs. military or something. kind of weird. it's a small word, you be. like i said, what do people do when they come to san francisco? they ride a cable car. >> california line starts in the financial district. people are coming down knobbhill. the cable car picks people up. takes them to work. >> there still is no other device to conquer these hills

better than a cable car. nobody wanted to live up here because you had to climb up here. with the invention of the cable car, these hills became accessible. he watched horses be dragged to death. cable cars were invent in san francisco to solve the problem with it's unique, vertically challenged terrain. we are still using cars a century old >> the old cable car is the most unique thing, it's still going. it was a good design by then and is still now. if we don't do something now.

it's going to be worse later. >> the cable cars are built the same as they were in the late 1800's. we use a modern machinery. we haven't changed a thing. it's just how we get there. >> it's a time consuming job. we go for the quality rather than the production. we take pride in our work and it shows in the end product. >> the california line is mostly locals. the commuters in the morning, i see a lot of the same people. we don't have as tourists.

we are coming up to street to chinatown. since 1957, we are the only city in the world that runs cable cars. these cars right here are part of national parks system. in the early 1960's, they became the first roles monument. the way city spread changed with the invention of the cable car. >> people know in san francisco, first thing they

think about is, let's go >> hello, i am with the san francisco parks department serious we are featuring some wonderful locations in your and very own backyard. this is your chance to find your heart in san francisco with someone special. we are here at the lovely and historic palace of fine arts, located in the bustling marina district. originally built for the 1950's exposition, the palace is

situated along san francisco's waterfront. it is ada accessible and is reached by the 28, 30, and 91 bus lines. with its rotunda, columns, uncut the reflecting waters against the eucalyptus trees, it is one of the most romantic settings for special dates, and memorable proposals. it is also a perfect spot where you can relax with that special someone while listening to the water and fountain in the lagoon. beautiful to view from many locations, and inside is an ideal place to walk around with your loved ones. the palace is the most popular wedding location in the city park system. reservations for weddings and other events are available at strecpark.org.

shakespeares' guard and refers -- has plants referred to in shakespeare's plays and poems. located near the museum and the california academy of sciences, shakespeares garden was designed in 1928 by the california spring blossom association. flowers and plants played an important part in shakespeares literary masterpieces. here is an enchanting and tranquil garden tucked away along a path behind a charming gate. this garden is the spot to woo your date. appreciate the beauty of its unique setting. the cherry tree, the brick walkways, the enchanting stones, the rustic sundial.

chaired the bards'w ro -- share the bard's words. the garden is a gem to share with someone special. pack a picnic, find a bench, enjoy the sunshine and let the whimsical words of william shakespeare float you and your loved one away. this is one of the most popular wedding locations and is available for reservations. shakespeares garden is 8ada accessible. this park is located at the bottom of a hill. it is a secret garden with an infinite and captivating appeal. carefully tucked away, one block from the bottom of lombard street, it makes the top of our

list for the most intimate picnic settings. avoid all tourist cars and parking hassles by hopping on the cable car. or the 30, 45, 41, or 91 bus. this garden was designed by a the landscape architect thomas church in 19 to -- 1957. grow old with me, the best is yet to be is inscribed at this gem of a park. a lush oasis anchored by gazebosanchoreddekcs, -- gazebos, anchored by decks. this is the place to tell your family the love you share. reservations are available for this hidden gem.

i am jamie hopper. until next time, don't forget to get out and play. for more information about reserving one of these romantic locations, or any other location, call 831-5500. this number is best for special events, weddings, picnics, and the county fair building. for any athletic fields and neighborhood parks, 831-5510. you can also write us. 501 san francisco, calif. 94117. or just walk in and say hello. and of course you can find more information and reach us at sfrecpark.org.