Editor:

I’m a District 4 resident who loves Sunset Dunes.

I’m a senior and go there frequently to walk, and I see so many people there. I always see a lot of other walkers of all ages, families with young children, couples, friends walking together, as well as runners and bicyclists.

On the days I’m there, I notice that the bicyclists stay in the fast lanes, so we can safely walk in the slow lanes at whatever pace we want. I just love it. I can’t walk on the beach too much, and those with walkers, strollers or wheelchairs certainly can’t, and no one can when the tides are high.

Most of all, I find walking at Sunset Dunes to be absolutely exhilarating, right above the beach and the ocean, with the sound of the waves, the smell of the salt air, and in the evenings, the incredible sunsets. There is nothing else like it in San Francisco. Golden Gate Park is beautiful, but it’s not comparable to walking above the ocean at Sunset Dunes. It invigorates my spirit and my soul.

I realize there are some local residents who are inconvenienced by the closure of a section of the Upper Great Highway. But the Upper Great Highway and the beach belong to the City as a whole. I believe that Sunset Dunes will become a must-see destination, and a time will come when San Franciscans can’t imagine our City without such a park. And when we get our giant pandas at the Zoo (and the mayor told me at a recent meeting that we still are expecting them), after seeing the pandas and other animals, visitors will be able to take a beautiful walk at Sunset Dunes.

I’m so glad we have Sunset Dunes. And I thank Joel Engardio for having the vision to take this step forward for our City.

Paula Katz