NIKE NEWS
Site SF 88
Winter, 2015
Comings and Goings:
The new permanent Volunteer Coordinator and Lead Ranger for the Marin Headlands is Andrew Felton. Many of you have met Andrew during his Detail as Volunteer Coordinator back in April. Andrew also was at the December Open House. Please welcome Andrew and feel free to contact him with any questions that you might have. Lucy Scott who so admirably filled the position for the last few months has moved on to her new assignment at Muir Woods. We all extend our thanks to Lucy for a great job and wish her well. Alex Duncan will be leaving us around January 16. It has been great having Alex as a member of the team. His work at Nike has been greatly appreciated. Our other steadfast Ranger, Michael Morales is out on medical leave. Our best wishes for a speedy recovery.MEN AT WORK
Photo by Greg Brown from ed-thelen.org
The launcher being worked out by some of our great volunteers. All of the equipment needs a lot of TLC. Without the help of all of our great Nike Volunteers, our site would certainly not be the same. Whether it is a mechanical issue, a little paint, some electrical work or cutting the grass, thanks to all of you for pitching in and making Nike SF-88 one of a kind.
ed-thelen.org
The maintenance of all of the equipment at SF-88 is vital to insure our one of a kind site is there for years to come to tell the stories of Nike and the Cold War period.
COMING SOON
2016
will be an exciting year at SF-88. Funding has been secured for this
year to do some exciting work at the Site.
First,
we are getting new doors at the Assembly Building. Both the rolling
doors and main door will be replaced. The Magazine A personnel
doors are also being replaced. This is part of the reason we have so
many locks at the front and rear gates. Construction personnel can
easily gain access to the site to do their work.
A
total restoration of the Kennel storage building will also be a part
of the 2016 items. This work will start in the coming months.
Funds
have been allocated to paint and restore the Hercules missiles in
Magazine A. This will go a long way in making sure our missiles stay
in top shape.
Goats
are coming. We will be bringing in goats to clear out a lot of the
non-native vegetation at the site. Obviously, this will make the
site a more realistic looking.
The
Generator Building will be converted into a Welcome Center and
Museum. This step will give us the opportunity to have a place for
visitors to know within five minutes what the site is all about.
Artifacts, living histories, movies and slides are all a part of
this conversion. It will also make a great classroom to tell our
story to those too young to remember. The Welcome Center will
provide all of us a great tool where we can share with all of our
visitors all of our stories and to interpret the story of the Cold
War and Nike. Stories that should never be forgotten!
OTHER CHANGES
There
are a few other things that hopefully can get done during the year.
First is to restore the entrance to what it looked like in 1962.
Secondly to put more road signs in the Headlands directing people to
the Nike Site. Thirdly, new signage at the site giving some detail
about the buildings and structures.
There
will be a lot going on at the site in the coming months. It
certainly will be an exciting time for all of us.
IN THE NEWS
A
new film documentary regarding Nike Site SF-88 was just completed in
the last week. It will be shown locally here in San Francisco. I
will let everyone know where and as soon as I get the details.
There
was an article back in October in The San Jose Mercury News, Contra
Costa Times and Oakland Tribune regarding the site. Quite a few
people visited SF-88 because of the article. Glad to see people read
the papers and follow-up on visiting the sites spoken about.
SITE
HOURS
El
Nino is predicted this winter. As such, our hours of operation might
be impacted due to conditions at the site. I will keep everyone
posted as to any changes.
As
we come to the end of another successful year at Nike Site SF-88, I
want to thank each and every one who played a role in keeping the
site alive! The Volunteers, Rangers and Interns who told the
stories, fixed the leaks, mopped the floor and pulled weeds were all
instrumental in keeping SF-88 vibrant and the place to hear and see
incredible things and stories.
To
each of you, I want to extend my best wishes for a wonderful and
safe holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year!
Thanks
for all you do! Be seeing you around the Park!
2016
is the Centennial Year for The National Park Service. Remember to
tell everyone to “Find Your Park.”
The "Organic
Act" of August 25, 1916, states that "the Service thus
established shall promote and regulate the use of Federal areas
known as national parks, monuments and reservations . . . by such
means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said
parks, monuments and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the
scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life
therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner
and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of
future generations."
ed-thelen.org
Al Blank
Park Ranger
Marin Headlands
GGNRA