San Francisco Supervisors To Vote on North Beach Library, Park Plan

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)- San Francisco Supervisors are scheduled to vote next week in what could pave the way for a new library and playground, but the plan that would close a block of Mason Street is meeting some resistance.

The project has been in the works for years and Rec and Park in addition to the Planning Commission are on board for the new mini park and branch library at the site of the Joe DiMaggio playground.

This week the land use committee gave the plan thumbs up with Supervisor David Chiu, who represents North Beach, and is the project's biggest booster.

"We are losing our families and we have to do everything we can to reverse that trend. This is exactly the type of project that I think we need in a 21st century San Francisco.

Some critics, who don't like the idea of closing off the block to traffic and the loss of the old library, say that the library is historically significant.

KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:

One critic of the plan said she felt the library does need to be redesigned, but the actual destruction and removal of it just to rebuild something else hasn't been thought through very carefully.

However, most agreed with Chiu that the new plan is great. A proponent of the renovation project stated, "Our neighborhood has changed, technology has changed, and it's time for a new library".

The first step for the supervisors is the street closure. At Tuesday's meeting the board will decide whether to hold a full-scale hearing on that aspect of the project.

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