A Neighborhood Journal

Playland at the Beach Memorabilia to be Auctioned

Michaan’s Auctions has been commissioned to liquidate the contents of the Playland Not at the Beach Museum, a collection of circus nostalgia and memorabilia from 20th century American amusement parks, including San Francisco’s Playland at the Beach, for which the museum was named.

The 9,000-square-foot space, located in El Cerrito, houses funhouse mirrors, pinball machines, penny arcades, circus sideshow attractions and vintage video games, including Galaga and Centipede.

Thousands of historical items are offered in the auction, including original signs, relics of vintage rides and games, rare photographs, employee uniforms and prizes from Playland arcade games. A highlight is “Circus World,” a 300,000-piece hand-carved miniature circus that took the late Don Marcks of El Cerrito 50 years to create.

Originally founded in 2000, the museum officially opened its doors on May 30, 2008. Its current home is slated for demolition to make way for a condominium project, which the owners say compelled them to sell the rare collection.

Playland Not at the Beach is located at 10979 San Pablo Ave., in El Cerrito. Sale previews will be held on Sept. 13 and 14 and the auction will be held on Sept. 15, at 10 a.m.

Prison Computer Center Named after Inner Sunset Resident

Inner Sunset District resident and businessman Darshan Singh was recently honored at San Quentin Prison by having the computer technology center there named after him.

The Darshan Singh Computer Technology Center will help prisoners gain high-tech skills before being released. Singh has been working on crime and justice issues for years as a member on the state’s Department of Corrections Prison Advisory Board.

SFMTA Votes to Keep Boarding Platform Near Taraval Safeway

The SF Municipal Transit Agency’s board of directors (which runs Muni), voted to keep the L-Taraval streetcar stop in the eastbound direction at the Safeway, located at 17th Avenue and Taraval Street.

“This is such a great victory for Safeway shoppers and residents on the 17th Avenue corridor,” said Paula Katz, who organized the effort to keep the stop. “I’m still pinching myself!”

Local residents signed petitions, distributed postcards and leaflets through out the neighborhood, sent emails to friends and attended up to three public hearings and up to three board of directors meetings.

As well, District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee and his staff fought to stave off the closure, which would have required shoppers to travel to 19th Avenue and Taraval Street, and cross the busy thoroughfare, to board an eastbound streetcar.

“Your hard work paid off. We would not have kept this stop without such strong community support over the past two-and-a-half years,” Katz said.

Man Dies After Being Struck on Sloat Boulevard

A 69-year-old man died after a vehicle struck him as he crossed Sloat Boulevard on
July 17.

The victim, Dmitry Scotkin, according to the city’s medical examiner, was struck shortly after 10 a.m. as he crossed Sloat at 36th Avenue. Scotkin was taken to a hospital, where he later died, police said.

The driver, a 59-year-old man, remained at the scene. The collision remains under investigation.

The collision occurred at an intersection where a High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) beacon was recently installed by Caltrans, although it was unclear if the beacon was activated before Scotkin crossed the street.

Supervisor Allocates Money for Schools, More in District 4

 Each year, the individual members of the SF Board of Supervisors have money allocated to their districts in the city budget process. This year, each supervisor got about $1 million to spend in their district.

In District 4, SF Supervisor Katy Tang has allocated about half of the budget for this fiscal year’s allocation to pay for: STEM grants to all nine public schools in District 4 ($360,000); Playland (on 43rd Avenue) programming and relocation when teacher housing is constructed on the site ($25,000); Movies at McCoppin ($20,000); staffing for after-school and summer-school programming at Robert Louis Stevenson, Francis Scott Key, Ulloa and Sunset elementary schools ($20,000); the Sunset Community Festival ($15,000), Autumn Moon Festival ($5,000), Irving Fish Festival ($5,000), Noriega Festival ($5,000) and Taraval Festival ($5,000); and facade grants for local businesses ($40,000).

The remainder of this year’s discretionary budget will be used to pay forward the same set of spending priorities for the next fiscal year (2019-2020).

Correction:  In last month’s edition we incorrectly stated Susan Suval founded the Sunset Neighborhood Coalition, which was founded by Dawn Stueckle. Suval also stopped working on the Sunset Community Festival several years ago.