ImageREQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
Proposed Accessibility Improvements at Golden Gate National Recreation Area:
Public Comment Period from may 11th-May 29th
CRISSY FIELD AND CRISSY CENTER
Introduction
Crissy Field is a 100 acre site characterized by a wide sandy promenade along the bay, spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, and bay environs. From a waste dump to a thriving coastal habitat, Crissy Field has gone through an amazing transformation. This former military land is now a dynamic public open space that recreates the multi-layered natural and cultural history of the site. Beginning in 1997, cleanup of hazardous materials on the site involved the removal of almost 90,000 tons of contaminated materials. The restoration of this 100 acre site included the recreation of an 18 acre tidal marsh linked to the San Francisco Bay, and the recreation of 16 acres of dune habitat, together supporting 105 different species of shrubs, wildflowers, and marsh plants. This project was inspired by the ancient 130 acre salt marsh system that flourished in the location for thousands of years.
Crissy Field Center in historic Presidio Building 603 offers a wide variety of programs and amenities that connect the diverse population of the Bay Area to urban environmental issues. Working in partnership with the National Park Service and Bay Area communities, the Center actively engages people with their environments by focusing on the convergence of the urban and natural environment through multicultural perspectives. Since its opening in May 2001, the Center has served over 400,000 people through school field trips, public workshops, after school programs, summer camps, and more. Crissy Center will be relocated for five years during the Doyle Drive reconstruction project. See “Crissy Center” below.
Key Experience
The key experience for visitors at Crissy Field is to travel along the water’s edge on the wide promenade or beach. Spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, Marin and San Francisco, and the access to the Golden Gate Bridge are the two main reasons visitors use the Promenade, while for locals generally recreation is the main purpose of the visit. They run, stroll, roll, bike, exercise dogs, play, go to the beach, and bird watch. They kite sail, canoe and board surf off the beach. Bicycle travel to, from, and over the Golden Gate Bridge by tourists and by commuters is a key use of Crissy Field. Orientation and wayfinding are called out as a “critical” need for access upgrades. The key experience at Crissy Center is the education program with classrooms and labs for children and youths. Patronizing the café and using the bathrooms are the primary experience for many adults, along with shelter from the weather. Views are primary.
Secondary Experiences: Photography, picnicking, and sitting are popular. Interpretation is provided by tours and displays. There are two popular parking areas; the East Beach provides restrooms, shower, and surfaces to assemble gear for board sailing or kite sailing. Dog waste pick-up bag stations are located here. West Crissy Parking provides access to The Warming Hut and Mine Depot Pier and Restrooms (see Fort Point, below). West Crissy provides picnic tables and grills, an amphitheatre for public use, trails and access to the Promenade. At Crissy Center, the secondary experiences include shopping, looking at exhibits, collecting park information and maps. Rooms are used as public meeting spaces for events.
Proposed Accessibility Improvements & Questions for Public Input
1. Crissy Center: Approximately 44 deficiencies were identified at the time of the accessibility assessment of Crissy Center. Issues ranged from non-compliant exterior routes into the building, to operating controls such as at lavatory faucets and drinking fountains that required more than 5 lbs force. Due to the Doyle Drive Highway Construction Project and its impact on travel flow within the area, the Crissy Center program will vacate Presidio Building 603 and relocate mid-2009 to temporary modular buildings at Crissy Field. The temporary modular buildings are planned with accessible parking, access routes and interior features. Long term and following the completion of the Doyle Drive Highway Construction Project, tentatively planned for 2014, accessibility improvements will be made to Presidio Building 603, prior to the Crissy Center program reoccupying the building.
2. Restroom and Shower Building at East Beach: Several quick fixes have been completed at this facility during the spring, including replacing grab bars, relocating paper towel dispensers and installing coat hooks within the reach range.
3. Visitor Orientation, Publications and Website: Within six months the park web site will be updated with the most current available information regarding accessible facilities, areas, and programs and will be routinely updated to reflect the latest information as the park Accessibility Action and Transition plans are implemented. The web site will include specific point of contact information for those who may need to request accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, in advance. Within the short term, the park will design the primary park brochure in large print and format the content for Braille, audio formats, and electronic file for posting on the park web sites. Within the short term, the park will develop a thermoplastic, raised-line map as temporary/portable visitor use and orientation. In the midterm, the proposed accessibility improvement includes the design of new wayfinding signage with tactile maps for placement throughout Crissy Field.
Questions: Will the proposed short and midterm solutions provide adequate orientation to Crissy Field ? Please provide comment on the proposed methods (raised line maps, 3-D models, tactile maps, identified accessible paths).
4. Waysides and Interpretive Signs: Within one year, the Park proposes to develop a system-wide design and implementation plan to update all fundamental (i.e. key to enjoying the primary experience of a site) park orientation kiosks, panels and maps to include visitor information in multiple modes such as graphics, text, tactile elements and audio. Within the second year, the Park proposes to develop a comprehensive plan for the use of audio description at waysides and begin implementation of the delivery system park-wide.
5. Outdoor Furnishings: Benches and picnic tables are located throughout Crissy Field. The proposed short term accessibility improvement includes the installation of additional picnic tables and benches so that a minimum of 50% of the total number are accessible models. The proposed midterm accessibility improvement calls for the access routes to the picnic areas and the surrounding surface pad for the tables and grills to be repaved. As non-accessible benches and picnic tables are replaced, they will be replaced with accessible units.
6. Pathways: Several pathways are designed to cut through the airstrip and multiple points of public entry from the street to the Promenade. Generally, the pathways and Promenade are constructed of decomposed granite stabilized with Portland cement or resin products. Proposed short term solutions call for areas that have cross slopes greater than 2 percent or with drainage issues to backfill and compact the surface material.
Questions: Public input is requested on the use of decomposed granite stabilized with a Portland cement or resin product as an accessible pathway surface material for use at Crissy Field. Is this loose-fill material with applied surface stabilizing product sufficient for accessibility? Is a unitary surface material such as concrete or asphalt preferred for primary pedestrian routes?
7. Beach Access: Access routes to the beaches at Crissy Field will be assessed in Phase III of the NCA accessibility assessment.
Additional Comments
Please provide comment on other areas of accessibility concerns that may not be presented in this summary document.
Crissy Field Accessibility Comment Sheet (Mial Only)
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