Earlier this afternoon, Councilman Kevin Faulconer’s office sent me a copy of the memo he sent to Chief Operating Officer Jay Goldstone.
In it he asks that benches that were removed from Sunset Cliffs Park over the last week be replaced with ones that meet safety guidelines.
The removal of the benches caused quite a stir from longtime residents and park regulars who have used them for years as scenic resting place, and to watch the sun set over the ocean.
Earlier this afternoon I spoke with Kathleen Hasenauer, deputy director of developed regional parks, who said that park staff would be revisiting the park to identify potential locations for the new benches. Then on June 1, they’ll meet with the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council to gauge community comments on where the benches should be installed.
Hasenauer couldn’t offer a timeline for when the new benches might be installed, saying that it would happen “as funding is available,” and not before the June 1 meeting.
She said the reason they were removed was because of the safety hazard that their placement posed. The benches were not official city benches, and were installed adjacent to the guard rail separating the park’s pedestrian path from Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.
“To put them adjacent to a guard rail meant to keep cars on the road and protect pedestrians is beyond reason,” she said.