โBayview Buzzโ is a recurring column on changes, tidbits and other news from Bayview. Got news? Send tips to marina@missionlocal.com.
The Bayview Community Shuttle, a purple and orange-colored van that launched as a pilot program in November of 2024, was created to help shorten commute times for Bayview residents by ferrying them quickly to major transportation hubs across the city.
The shuttle was popular โ transit options in Bayview are sparse, and transit users often had to make multiple transfers to reach a destination. But some worried that funding shortages at the state and local level might result in the program not being renewed.This week, SFMTA announced that funding for the next two years has been secured this week, meaning that the shuttle will live another day.
โThis service has grown to become beloved by the community, and this funding is critical so this program can keep running for everyone who depends on this convenient and accessible ride that is the same cost as a Muni fare,โ said a spokesperson for the SFMTA.ย
The shuttle is funded through a $10 million dollar grant from the California Air Resources Board, which was scheduled to expire last month. The vote will extend that grant for the next two years.
Itโs earth week in Bayview, and for a neighborhood with a long history of environmental activism, thatโs a big deal.
On Sunday, The New Farm at 10 Cargo Way, kicked off the week with a music, arts, and food festival featuring nine new-age bands and food truck-galore.
โEarth Day is really every day at the New Farm,โ wrote Andy Pollack, the director of the community garden. โThe style of the festival, which offers both contemporary music, cultural programming and environmental education, represents our exact mission and brings greater attention to the work weโre doing here all the time. Our core mission is to create a model where the community and the natural world can come together.โ
But you havenโt missed out on all the activities. On Saturday, the EcoCenter at 32 Jennings Street in Heronโs Head Park, is celebrating its 16th anniversary. The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with programming that includes bird-watching, nature walks, and information about habitat restoration, planting, and nursery care, along with family-friendly games and activities.ย
Earl Shaddix, the director of the nonprofit Economic Development on Third Street, is organizing mosaic and stencil classes, litter pickup, graffiti abatement, and gardening, as part of a project to restore the Islais Creek Promenade, a park on the southern edge of the Dogpatch neighborhood that Shaddix is passionate about.
Shaddix wrote he is aiming for June 6th as the first meet-up at the Promenade, and in the meantime, will host mosaic and stencil classes in the coming weeks. You can keep up to date on the project in his newsletter, which you can sign up for here.
The Bayview Senior Center is hosting its 46th annual Black cuisine street festival at 1753 Carroll Avenue from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The festival is the longest-running cultural event in Bayview, and, organizers say, will feature a marketplace, performances, and some of the best soul food Bayview has to offer.
โWhat began as a soul food cooking contest has grown into a vibrant street fair with food, entertainment, and a marketplace,โ wrote a spokesperson for Bayview Senior Services, the nonprofit behind the center. โNow in its 46th year, the annual Black Cuisine street festival continues to celebrate the cultural roots of African American seniors and share them with the community โ especially youth.โ
Purchasing a ticket in advance gets you all the food you can eat. You can register for the event here.