Collaboration Rewarded

In two separate award ceremonies held last month, the collaborative effort surrounding the removal of the Central Freeway and the building of Octavia Boulevard was honored by local organizations.

San Francisco Beautiful gave the effort the Friedel Klussmann award for 2006, its highest honor, singling out Robin Levitt, Jose Luis Moscovitch, Alan Jacobs and Elizabeth McDonald as representatives of the groups and individuals who came together to remove an unsafe structure fostering crime in its shadows and replaced it with a tree-lined boulevard and a park which every day draws a wide variety of people from throughout the area.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission honored the same effort in a ceremony before their October meeting, presenting HVNA, the SF Transportation Authority and DPW with their Grand Award for 2006. In a fitting tribute, a portion of their ceremony featured a video which was filmed at the memorial for Patricia Walkup which was held on Patricia’s Green in September.

As Paul Olsen, HVNA President, paraphrased in his remarks, Patricia was fond of saying that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things. That this extraordinary partnership, and accomplishment, received these honors is one more bit of proof. Starting with an idea, many individuals and agencies came together as never seen before, and we are the better for it. The idea, and the attention to detail in its implementation, shows what we can do together.

Congratulations to everyone in the neighborhood, and the region, who voted, organized, volunteered, attended meetings and have done so many things in support of improving the neighborhood. Thank you!

Photo: Paul Olsen
In another example of collaboration being rewarded, Assemblyman Mark Leno presents Richard Johnson with a Certificate of Recognition from the California State Assembly at the Rejoice, Reflect and Reward event.