phil ginsburg. >> thank you. we are very grateful that you call this hearing this morning. >san francisco was blessed with nearly 4,000 acres of open space that offer an important respite for socialization and rejuvenation of mines, body, and spirit. the parks are sacred spaces but are not immune from the challenges of urban living. while overall the parks are safe, it is incumbent upon us to make them safer and create for park users the greatest sense of security in our open spaces and recreational facilities. because of the iconic stature, these public parks are often front and center in these discussions. golden gate park has been an important part of the city, surveyed and designed by william hall, who designed upon visiting the park in 1886, no city in the world would have as good a reason for taking pride in their park as san francisco. today as then people come for picnics, walks, bicycles, gardens and museums. perhaps for a greater reason as he noted, as a release from the ordinary circumstances of life. 1,017 acres, approximately one- quarter of the urban parks sys