smart growth development. that means transit and high density residential commercial. it also means affordable housing as the mayor had said. this is an incredible milestone and i'm really pleased to be here with all of our leaders including leader plows -- pelosi. this project is incredibly complicated. it was just a dream for many years. if it's not the dream of maria, who demanded the city pay attention to this project and of course our leader pelosi who fights for us everyday in washington d.c. to make sure we are getting prioritized for the funding for the jobs for the men and women and the permanent jobs in the future, this project would not be possible. the transbay project is a national model. it will bring 11 transportation systems under a single roof all in close

proximity for the jobs, housing, retail and recreation and open space. this high density development will not only foster the economic growth that i said, it will be the center piece of that economic growth and reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. we are creating a bicycle community and safe public transit and full range of neighborhoods amenities. i want to thank the residents of district six and acknowledge bruce who is here who is our representative of the neighborhood on the transbay advisory committee. our residents have invested in this neighborhood early. knowing we don't have all the amenities in yet but also to advise on the city government and making sure this is a neighborhood that works for all of us and is the promise that we have made to them. this smart development it was city's goal when the board

of supervisors enacted the transit center that both maria and the mayor had mentioned last year. that goal is already being achieved. the plan area right here in the center of south of market will have currently 19 buildings and development. all the construction cranes that you see around us. it will have 35 percent mandated affordable housing requirement which is incredibly important for our working families and individuals in the city. we want to thank john burton for his leadership and advocacy for this project. [ applause ] we also want to thank a little known resident of district 6, the former mayor willie brown for initiating this project too. it is the undeniable truth that transbay has been the catalyst for this city. i look

forward to working with everybody here for the future success of this program. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> thank you, director kim, supervisor kim for those words. our final speaker is one who has been in integral to this community. mike has been at my side for the last 15 years helping to make this project a reality along with all the members of the labor community, the carpenters, operating engineers and everybody. mike has been a member of the workers union since 1985 and has represented the workers from san mateo and marine and other counties. he has been voted by his peers and elected

the treasure since 2005. he's been with us since the beginning. the transit project labor unit has been a model for other projects for success. all 20 units signaturary have signed on and we have been able to work with mike to create a program to mentor our youth both students ranging from 5 through high school and college. teaching them about engineering and architecture and all of the various disciplines that go into a project like this. mike as well as all the unions have been working with us as well with urs bashay and we have been working very hard with veterans to provide opportunities for them. in fact one of our very first contracts that was awarded was to a disabled

company. without further a do i would like to have mike come up and speak. thank you. as supervisor kim pointed out, this came out of the recession and it put a lot of folks back to work. we have leader pelosi to thank for that and mayor lee and predecessors and supervisor kim and her pred -- board of supervisors. a hand to all of those that i'm happy to represent. and, you know in digging this hole, we

have not just been going down into ground. maria talked a little bit about this day and how far it came from. we have gone into history and prehistory. we have gone back to where immigrants lived here. we came back in tame where a gold nugget was left here, when ships moord here. we have gone back to a place when willie mammoth left a tooth here for our workers to find. as any major construction project in the city you have to deal with it's history in order to start going in the other direction. that is what this pour today does. this pour today starts us in the other direction, starts us back in the present where we stand and start towards the

future. the future you begin to see around you now and the future for a high speed rail. a future that will include many many jobs. we in the san francisco building trades have been building this city for 117 years now. we count on that being just the first 117 years. on this project being a part of starting us towards many more succession of 117 years to come. one more thing. i have a pass here also. you see those cords, they are called floats. i started hanging floats for that company. there is a past towards the future for me as well. with that, leaders

pelosi, i would say let's pour some concrete and start ourselves towards the future. [ applause ] >> thank you, mike. now i would like to invite our speakers to sign and put some gloves on and put their i am imprint in the concrete for history.

4, 3, 2, 1. [ applause ]

>> what if you could make a memorial that is more about information and you are never fixed and it can go wherever it wants to go? everyone who has donated to it could use it, host it, share it. >> for quite a great deal of team she was hired in 2005, she struggled with finding the correct and appropriate visual expression. >> it was a bench at one point. it was a darkened room at another point. but the theme always was a theme of how do we call people's

attention to the issue of speci species extinction. >> many exhibits do make long detailed explanations about species decline and biology of birds and that is very useful for lots of purposes. but i think it is also important to try to pull at the strings inside people. >> missing is not just about specific extinct or endangered species. it is about absence and a more fundamental level of not knowing what we are losing and we need to link species loss to habitat loss and really focuses much on the habitat. >> of course the overall mission of the academy has to do with two really fundamental and important questions. one of which is the nature of life. how did we get here? the second is the challenge of

sustainability. if we are here how are we going to find a way to stay? these questions resonated very strongly with maya. >> on average a species disappears every 20 minutes. this is the only media work that i have done. i might never do another one because i'm not a media artist per se but i have used the medium because it seemed to be the one that could allow me to convey the sounds and images here. memorials to me are different from artworks. they are artistic, but memorials have a function. >> it is a beautiful scupltural objective made with bronze and lined with red wood from water tanks in clear lake.

that is the scupltural form that gives expression to maya's project. if you think about a cone or a bull horn, they are used to get the attention of the crowd, often to communicate an important message. this project has a very important message and it is about our earth and what we are losing and what we are missing and what we don't even know is gone. >> so, what is missing is starting with an idea of loss, but in a funny way the shape of this cone is, whether you want to call it like the r.c.a. victor dog, it is listen to the earth and what if we could create a portal that could look at the past, the present and the future? >> you can change what is then missing by changing the software, by changing what is projected and missing. so, missing isn't a static installation. it is an installation that is going to grow and change over time. and she has worked to bring all of this information together from laboratory after laboratory

including, fortunately, our great fwroup of researche e-- g researchers at the california academy. >> this couldn't have been more site specific to this place and we think just visually in terms of its scupltural form it really holds its own against the architectural largest and grandeur of the building. it is an unusual compelling object. we think it will draw people out on the terrace, they will see the big cone and say what is that. then as they approach the cone tell hear these very unusual sounds that were obtained from the cornell orinthology lab. >> we have the largest recording of birds, mammals, frogs and insects and a huge library of videos. so this is an absolutely perfect opportunity for us to team up with a world renown, very creative inspirational artist and put the sounds and sights of

the animals that we study into a brand-new context, a context that really allows people to appreciate an esthetic way of the idea that we might live in the world without these sounds or sites. >> in the scientific realm it is shifting baselines. we get used to less and less, diminished expectations of what it was. >> when i came along lobsters six feet long and oysters 12 inches within they days all the oyster beds in new york, manhattan, the harbor would clean the water. so, just getting people to wake up to what was just literally there 200 years ago, 150 years ago. you see the object and say what is that. you come out and hear these intriguing sounds, sounds like i have never heard in my life. and then you step closer and you almost have a very intimate

experience. >> we could link to different institutions around the globe, maybe one per continent, maybe two or three in this country, then once they are all networked, they begin to communicate with one another and share information. in 2010 the website will launch, but it will be what you would call an informational website and then we are going to try to, by 2011, invite people to add a memory. so in a funny way the member rely grows and there is something organic about how this memorial begins to have legs so to speak. so we don't know quite where it will go but i promise to keep on it 10 years. my goal is to raise awareness and then either protect forests from being cut down or reforest in ways that promote biodiversity. >> biodiverse city often argued to be important for the world's

human populations because all of the medicinal plants and uses that we can put to it and fiber that it gives us and food that it gives us. while these are vital and important and worth literally hundreds of billions of dollars, the part that we also have to be able to communicate is the more spiritual sense of how important it is that we get to live side by side with all of these forms that have three billion years of history behind them and how tragic it would be not commercially and not in a utilitarian way but an emotio l emotional, psychological, spiritual way if we watch them one by one disappear. >> this is sort of a merger between art and science and advocacy in a funny way getting people to wake unand realize what is going on -- wake up and realize what is going on. so it is a memborial trying to get us to interpret history and

look to the past. they have always been about lacking at the past so we proceed forward and maybe don't commit the same mistakes. >> 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. >> hello well concealed need your district supervisor. -- welcome to meet your district supervisor. we are here with supervisor kim. welcome. thank you for joining supervisor kim: thank you for having me. >> tell us where he grew up.

supervisor kim: i grew up on the new york city. my parents immigrated to the u.s. i actually started becoming active in the community in high school. ed i went to stanford. -- i went to stanford. when i graduated, i move to san francisco. my first job, i started working developing economic policies for low-income communities statewide in california. i worked with young people, parents, families are around issues that concern our neighborhoods, whether it was communities, affordable housing, public schools, or just planning issues in neighborhoods like parks. i did that and actually ran for the board of education here in san francisco. i got a term on the school board

working for families in our public school system and actually worked for the lawyers community and i came to the board of supervisors. >> why did you choose to live in san francisco? supervisor kim: you know, i do not know if i have a good answer for that. i just wanted to try it out. >> tell me what motivated your interest in politics. supervisor kim: that is a tough question to answer. i never had any intention to get involved in the electoral process. >> really? supervisor kim: i was always politically active. i was always working on statewide initiatives, and i worked on several campaigns. i worked as an organizer. i did not really have an interest in an electoral

process, because -- i just have this perception the process was 30, and when i went to the ballot to vote, it looked like i was taking the better of two evils. i did not have a strong interest. working as an organizer, you get to know issues surrounding budget for schools or housing, and i began to see people were really accessible and some had started working with the community and we got more and more engaged. >> where do you place yourself on the political spectrum? supervisor kim: i think i definitely fall on the left. >> was there anything surprising about the campaign process? supervisor kim: it was my third campaign running for office. i ran for the school board twice before.

in many ways, i was already -- i already knew what i had signed myself up for. it was physically grueling, emotionally grueling, really tiring. the one thing i enjoyed was i got to know voters and residents. you do not really get to do that when you run citywide. i enjoyed campaigning more because i had time to meet voters individually, and i loved it. i really enjoyed being out on the field. i spent all lot of time doing it. which i thought was important -- both for me because i get a deeper understanding of what people care about, and what people loved about the district and the city, and i think it was better for our community that i was out there one on one.

>> what are the biggest issues for san francisco right now? supervisor kim: economic development. that is the biggest issue for san francisco and the country. our economy is not in the best place that it could be. we really do see that people want to see more jobs for everybody. second, it is probably a myriad of issues. for our district, and think public safety issues -- ranging from low-level crime to larger public safety issues. we held our first hearing on pedestrian public safety in district 6. we learned that san francisco has the highest rate of vehicle pedestrian collisions in the state of california, our rate that is higher than tokyo, london, other major cities. a

costs are taxpayers every time we go to the hospital. we can do better. other cities are doing better than we are. that is an important issue we have the highest rate in the city, and you're probably higher than any other city. " we have spent on pedestrian safety over the last four years is close to $13 million. >> how to balance the needs of the district compared to the city? supervisor kim: it is interesting representing a district and a collection of neighborhoods. for me, it is interesting because i represent the city of san francisco. i mean you represth