mark buell is here with all the wonderful staff. the staff that dpw has been working with rec and park. by the way, on budget, below budget and on time -- are you kidding? wonderful. [applause] but, you know, the spirit of all this is really two areas. it is the celebration of our community, but it is also the reason why we all agreed to name this betty ann ong rec center. because it is part of the history of a hero coming from chinatown, san francisco. and i n you -- 9/11 is right around the corner. while, as tragic as that event was for the whole country, we do have our heroes. we have people who stepped up and saved thousands of more lives. these are heroes to the country. so i began this really with a very personal thanks to harry and the whole ong family. kathy and mrs. ong are here as well. thank you for letting us celebrate a wonderful life in contribution to our own american history. the name here is not only embedded on the walls here, but we have that time capsule that we did in september so that in future generations, man

ladies and gentlemen, mark buell. [applause] >> thank you. i will be brief. but there is an old saying that victory has many parents and defeat is an orphan. and the many parents of this victory are here today. the mayor of the board of supervisors, the department, but none more so than the people standing up in the audience, the people who supported this by supporting the 2008 bond measure that made this possible. and these cannot happen overnight, so give yourself an applause for that. [applause] rose reminded me earlier today that this renovation got started 10 years ago, so things do not happen fast, but they do happen. let me tell you the the point of pride that i think this community should have. this is the largest single investment in a recreation center in all of san francisco and it is here in chinatown. so give yourself another hand for that. [applause] with that, i want to close and say that i think the staff and the department, operating in an era of reduced budgets in greater demand, is doing a better job than ever, and want to tip my hat to phi