Midterm Project Proposal

Group Members: Lindsey, Alice & Carlos

For our project, we are interested in documenting human and physical activity in Glen Canyon Park. We are interested in comparing human activity occurring next to the creek with traffic patterns and BART activity surrounding the canyon. During the process we will be talking to the creek visitors in order to get a sense of how the area is being used now, and what people think of the creek in general. Overall we would like to gather data on how people are interacting with the land physically and socially through personal testimony, sound, pictures, and video. Eventually an interactive, digital map will be created demonstrating the levels of activity in the area, and will most likely include accompanying sound and video. Over the next two weeks, we will be hiking along the same trail at the same time each day collecting data, and will choose an appropriate spot where we can set up a video camera in order to record human activity on the trails below and the traffic above.

Glen Canyon Park- Initial Observations

So I finally went to Glen Canyon Park to check out the area where you can see Islais Creek. I have to say that what there was to see was not much. Most of the water is covered by dense brush, and some of it is fenced off because it is under restoration (walking through the plants would disturb wildlife growth). As I walked along the trail beside the creek, I decided to document any sort of human activity. I was curious to see how many people I would see in just an hour, and what kind of activities these people perform while at the park. From the hour of 1 pm to 2 pm on a Friday afternoon, I saw a total of 29 people, and 10 dogs. Apparently, this park is a popular place to walk a dog, and also to jog along the trails. The majority of these people were Caucasian, and dressed in comfortable hiking attire (most of the women were wearing Birkenstock sandals).
              Here is a breakdown of the 29 people I saw and what they were doing:
              14 women- 5 walking dogs, 1 reading newspaper, 6 hiking, 2 jogging
              10 men- 5 walking dogs, 2 jogging, 1 hiking, 2 young teens smoking in bushes
              5 kids- all with hiking parents
Next time I would like to create a series of questions, and ask these people how often they visit the park, if they know about the history of the creek, etc. There is also a nursery school located in the park, along with a rec center. These people were excluded from the counting, as I was only counting people walking along the trails next to the creek.

A portion of the creek fenced off. 

Eucalyptus trees.

The creek as it disappears into dense shrub.

Looking up while standing in the canyon.

People hiking along different trails.

Shows how shallow and narrow creek is.

Trail shows activity (footprints, bicycles, etc.).

Coming out of the trails, there are houses lined up on the hill on Elk St. I wonder who lives in these houses and if they know about Islais Creek?

 When I was driving around the Glen Park residential area, I realized that Islais Creek is super hidden, and that people who live in this area may not even know that it exists. Compared to the congested 280 and the noisy Bart station close by, Glen Park is a quiet refuge for those who wish to escape city life.

the Cliff House

The Cliff House is a perfect example of how architecture is reflective of its time. It has been rebuilt twice due to different fires, and now looks nothing like the original cliff house that was built in 1863.

First Cliff House, 1863-1894

Second Cliff House, 1896-1907

Cliff House today, 1909-present

Ocean Beach

Some history: Ocean Beach did not start to become developed until the late 19th century. People were hesitant in occupying this area due to unpopular weather, ie. fog and high winds. In 1884, people were finally brought to Ocean Beach by a steam railroad; a rollercoaster and pavilion for dancing and concerts were built to attract tourists. This amusement park, Playland at the Beach, was torn down in 1972. At one time, Ocean Beach was separated from the rest of San Francisco by a sand dune wilderness, which is why people used to consider it the "Outside Lands".

Overlooking Ocean Beach today.

the Sutro Baths

Throughout my research so far, visiting the Sutro Baths has been the most interesting. I have seen the ruins before, but had no idea that it used to be a popular bathing house in the early 1900s. The seven pools used to hold up to 10,000 swimmers at one time, and 1.7 million gallons of water. Now what is left after a destructive fire in 1966 are remnants of the structure and algae-infested pools. There are signs everywhere warning visitors of past drownings in the area, and to not climb upon the ledges of the foundation, but of course people do not take heed to this advice.

This used to be the inside of the bathhouse.

The Sutro Baths before it was burned down in 1966.

What is left of the structure today.

Inside of the pools today.

Islais Creek

History of its Decline
Islais Creek is a small creek in San Francisco that has almost been completely destroyed by industrial efforts. It had once covered an area of about 5,000 acres, but is now roughly 80% of its original size due to urban development. The Gold Rush first marked the decline in the creek when large amounts of people started to inhabit San Francisco. Soon after, slaughterhouses were opened right next to the creek, and things really started to go downhill. The people literally referred to the creek as "Shit Creek" because garbage, animal waste, and unused meat products from the factories were dumped there. What's even worse is that after the major 1906 earthquake, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to dump earthquake debris into the creek. Today the majority of the creek is covered, and what's left to see in broad daylight is not much. Because the creek carries storm water, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater, it is possible for the sewage to overflow, which is a major health hazard.

In 2003, a major sewage spill occurred, ruining a park dedicated to the Ohlone tribe. This was the consequence of a MUNI construction project; tunnels were being drilled underneath Islais Creek to connect power and data cables from the north side of the creek (3rd Street) to the Hunters Point Power Plant. It had taken years for the park to become a sanctuary for local wildlife.

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Maps!

Anonymous. Wallis's New Game of Wanderers in the Wilderness. 1818-47.

Before the Europeans really knew about South Americans. To them it was just one big wilderness. Shows how subjective maps can be. 

Anonymous. Mount for a Lady's Fan. 1788.

Richard Long. Africa Footprints. 1986.

Maps can provide social commentary as well. 

Michael Druks. Druksland Physical & Social. 1974.

I really enjoy this point of view. He is his own land/country/continent. Makes me think of what I would call myself if I were a land...

Kathy Prendergast. Lost. 1999

 Christian Nold. San Francisco Emotion Map. 2007

I found out there is a device called a Galvanic Skin Response sensor, and it measures your physiological responses to an environment. It would be interesting to get a hold of one of these and measure people's responses as they walk through the Islais Creek and Glen Canyon. Or show people old photographs of what the Islais Creek used to look like, and what it looks like now, and measure their emotional responses to this change.  An artist named Christian Nold has done this kind of "emotional mapping" in cities like Greenwich, Paris, and even San Francisco. I really enjoy this mapping point of view in that the connections that people have to their environments are so complex, and many times a person's memories of a place will form their attitude toward it as well.
http://www.sf.biomapping.net/

& more books.

"Water, once consumed, returns to the hydrological cycle; that will not change. But after human use it is not of the same quality as before. It is therefore imperative that we begin to implement strategies that move us toward conservation. After all, as the saying has it (in many languages), water is life."

You can visit this site to learn more about Alphabet City and other works.
 http://alphabet-city.org/issues/water

A man living in Manhattan commits to a year-long experiment with his family. He cannot have any impact on the environment whatsoever. No coffee. No driving. No TV. No elevators. No takeout. No electricity. And the list goes on and on.

You can watch Colin Beavan on the Colbert Report!
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/252016/october-08-2009/colin-beavan

Post-Apocalyptic Books

NON-FICTION. This book addresses what earth would be like if humans suddenly died off. Interesting fact: Once humans die off, it would take 100,000 yrs for carbon dioxide levels to return to what they were before humans existed.  Reading this book is in future plans.

FICTION. This book is a post-apocalyptic account of a father and son trying to survive. Government and societal rules no longer exist, and people are lessened to "caveman-like" behavior in order to acquire basic needs like food, water, and shelter. It makes you think about how you would act in such situations, and if you would resort to committing such violent, inhuman acts to feed yourself and your family.