Third graders from Sunnyside Elementary School have completed a mural on the school’s north facade. The first mural at the school spans the length of the north side of the building on Hearst Avenue near Foerster Street. The mural was dedicated during the school’s Open House event that took place the week of May 12.

The mural was designed and painted by the school’s 3rd-grade students under the direction of a local artist in residence. After its completion, a protective coating was applied to shield the mural from damage from the sun, graffiti, weather, and other potential damage. Sandie Spoering, Sunnyside Elementary’s Principal, said they are engaging with the school district to finalize plans for the grass area in front of the mural.

Supervisor Melgar’s legislative aides will be hosting drop-in coffee hours tomorrow Morning, May 16, at 10 AM at four local coffee shops. All residents interested in District 7 issues are welcome to attend. Each meeting has a specific focus:

Land Use and Children + Families: Java on Ocean (Hosted by Jen Low)

Public Safety and Infrastructure: Peet’s Coffee in West Portal (Hosted by Michael Farrah)

Tenants’ Rights and Labor Issues: Railroad Expresso on Monterey Blvd. (Hosted by Jennifer Fiebar)

Transportation and Small Business: Tartine on 9th Ave (Hosted by Emma Hare)

St. Finn Barr Auditorium, 415 Edna Street (at Hearst)
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – General Meeting

The agenda includes: Public Safety Update: Ingleside Station Captain Amy Hurwitz Vision Zero Freeway Ramp Study : SFCTA’s Brittany Chan will share the Vision Zero Freeway Ramps Study and solicit community input. Presentation from EJ Jones: EJ is Mayor Daniel Lurie’s director of community affairs. NERT Presentation: The Neighborhood Emergency Response Team will be there when you need it. Learn what you need to know and how to help out when the inevitable happens. Bike to Wherever Day (formerly Bike to Work Day): Sara Barz will fill you in on this annual city-wide event.

The mural located at the foot of the Havelock Bridge on Circular Drive has been restored by its designer, Christine Martinez Weibel. It had been damaged several months ago by extensive graffiti. For those unfamiliar with the Havelock Bridge, it is a pedestrian link from the Sunnyside neighborhood to Balboa Park that crosses over Interstate 280, which is located at the foot of Edna Street.

Originally painted in 2023 by local illustrator Neil Ballard, the mural was funded by a 2019 District 7 Participatory Budgeting proposal that featured several projects to improve the safety of the bridge. The project included the addition of a crosswalk and signage to improve pedestrian safety, clearing of overgrown vegetation that obscured visibility, and reinforcing the bridge’s fencing. Weibel explained that one intended benefit of the mural was to slow down traffic by attracting drivers’ attention heading toward City College as they approach the bridge, where the street turns sharply west toward City College.