My mom loved Shakespeare, mountains, and sunsets. She always had a dog to care for. She made a mean lasagne and a hearty crock pot beef stew with dumplings. Her oatmeal scotchie cookies were my favorite.

It’s a comfort to have her handwritten recipes. I’ll use them to keep her memory alive. 11/11

She stopped cleaning houses and became a social worker. She helped some of the most vulnerable and invisible people: seniors with mental health conditions. She would lead field trips to the zoo or Taco Bell for fun experiences. 10/11

She waited until I was 10 and could handle being home alone (it was the free-range parenting era of the 1980s). She took night classes at the local community college — one class at a time. After 11 years, she finally received a bachelor’s degree at age 43. 9/11

My grandmother (who was widowed at 48) supported us the best she could. Grandma only finished 9th grade and my mom decided to go to college. 8/11

Mary Kaye did not have the easiest life. Her father died when she was 12. My father left her when she was six months pregnant. She did her best as a single mom with a high school education. She cleaned houses for a living and brought me along as daycare. 7/11

My mom would have been 77 in December. She left us too soon, but I know her final years were filled with love and joy. 6/11

She accepted Lionel as a son (and as her tech support). He had the patience to teach her how to use an iPad and make Zoom calls. The day before she died, my mom told Lionel she loved him and that she was happy we had each other. 5/11

I’m glad we moved her from Michigan to Vacaville, California six years ago to be closer to me. She thrived in California and enjoyed having that adventure in her 70s. She met a lot of new friends in her senior apartment building and at her local congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. 4/11

I called friends my mom had known for 50 years and held the phone to her ear. I was able to tell her everything I needed to say and she did the same. I told her she was a good mom and that I loved her very much. 3/11

She was able to pass quickly and it was peaceful at the very end. She asked for a back rub. “That feels nice” were her last words before she faded away.

I was there for her final breath, and so was my husband Lionel. 2/11

This is the story of Sunset Dunes, and I invite you to visit. Find new ways to connect with nature. Discover the food, art, and culture of the Sunset neighborhoods. Be inspired by your coast and your park.

Read more: engardio.com/blog/history 10/10

The Golden Gate Bridge faced a lot of resistance when it was proposed. Detractors called it an "upside down rat trap.” Thankfully, forward-looking people had the courage to build it anyway and create the icon of our city. 9/10

San Francisco will only realize its full potential if we let ourselves do bold things. We can’t be the most progressive city that fears change. We must be the most progressive city that embraces the future. 8/10

I support progress, whether it’s open spaces where people can connect with each other or the housing we need to accommodate newcomers and let our adult kids and essential workers stay in San Francisco. If we never changed anything in San Francisco, the Sunset would still be sand dunes. 7/10

Do we want to be a city that looks to the past and preserve it in amber? Or do we want to be a forward-looking and innovative city that welcomes new people and ideas? 6/10

Every voter had an equal say because the coast belongs to everyone. As the park became more popular, the recall began to focus its anger on proposed new housing density. This raises some important questions about the future of San Francisco. 5/10

I inherited a contentious debate about the future of the Great Highway and met with advocates on both sides. I supported democracy by giving people a choice about what to do with their coast. Prop K allowed for more public debate in the most open, democratic, and transparent process possible. 4/10

Change can be difficult, especially when it’s beyond our control. Severe coastal erosion meant the Great Highway was going to lose its greatest utility as a direct connection to Daly City — no matter what. Mother Nature gave us a lemon. The creation of Sunset Dunes is the lemonade. 3/10

It’s good for the environment, good for our local economy, and brings joy to people of all ages. The feared traffic “carmageddon” never came. Soon, we will wonder why this was ever a controversy. We won’t be able to imagine San Francisco without a coastal park and all the benefits it offers. 2/10