Items

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  July 12, 2020

  Arch of Washington Square park during BLM demonstration

  Screenshot of washington Square park arch before a BLM demonstration from the CSI Public History Coronavirus Chronicle Facebook page
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  2020-05-22

  Social Distancing Circles

  San Francisco parks are the cultural heart of the city. From Golden Gate Park to Dolores Park to Washington Square Park, each park has a unique personality. On a sunny day, which can be rare in this foggy city by the Bay, parks are typically full of locals sharing picnics, music and lawn games. A day at a San Francisco park when the sun is shining reminds many city dwellers of the reason why they continue to live in a city largely covered in fog for most of the year. As California began to lift the shelter-in-place orders at the end of May, San Francisco residents encountered social distancing circles. These circles were painted on the lawn of San Francisco's most popular parks to remind and encourage visitors to keep their distance from others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the San Francisco Chronicle and Reuters chose to highlight social distancing circles in San Francisco's famous Dolores Park. I am at once impressed by the measures the city is taking to encourage social distancing and the apparent respect that park patrons have for the social distancing circles. And also shocked at how many San Francisco residents are choosing to visit parks during a pandemic.