Dreaming of a friendlier, greener, and more-connected city, Mayor Gavin Newsom is piloting a program this Sunday, from 9am-1pm, called Sunday Streets. From Bayview to Chinatown, a 4.5 mile stretch along the Embarcadero will be off limits to cars (yay!) and open to the public, offering a huge array of fun, physical things to do like roller skating, dance lessons, Tai Chi, Chinese cultural crafts, running drills, hula hoop contests, and yoga classes. The yoga classes will be happening at Ferry Park and at the Bayview Opera House Stage. Check out the full schedule here.

Newsom is modeling Sunday Streets after a model in Bogota, Columbia, that draws 1.5 million people a year. When I was living in Guatemala City, there was a similar deal on Sundays, and it was pretty much the only time people came out onto the streets because the city was otherwise so dangerous. I loved those Sundays, watching everyone come out with their kids and honeys to rollerblade and bike and eat ice cream.

Newsom's main goal is to get the streets car-free and exercise friendly for a day, but he is also hoping people who think of Bayview merely as a dodgy pocket of the city will see it in a new light. I am excited by the idea of Sunday Streets, especially because yoga is featuring so prominently on the bill. It's just proof that yoga has become an integral part of the fabric of the city.

The folks in Bayview are also excited about the event, according to local media, but there's been a bit of uproar amongst the Pier 39 merchants who fear that the street closure is going to kill their end-of-summer business. There has been some protesting and even some talk of potential suing. Both SF Gate and ABC printed pieces about the debacle. I understand their concerns, but at the same time, I love the Sunday Streets model. It has the potential to really bring the city together. Lots of people also rallied in favor of it. Here's a Kron 4 clip of enthusiastic skaters rallying for the cause.

What do you think about Sunday Streets? Will you be there this weekend?