Cars’ return celebrated

Press, 23 June 1984, Page 11

Cars’ return celebrated

NZPA-AP San Francisco

Thousands of people swarmed into the streets of San Francisco yesterday, revelling in a burst of balloons, brass bands, and civic pride as the city’s renowned cable car system returned to 'full service after a 20month, SUS6O million (about $92.4 million) overhaul. Celebrities joined the city’s movers and shakers on lavishly decorated cars parading up and down San Francisco’s steep hills under a brilliant blue sky. The Mayor, Mrs Dianne

Feinstein, who promised Democrats that the Ill-year-old system would be back in time for their convention next month, snipped a metre-wide, red and blue ribbon at Union Square to launch the cars.

Tony Bennett, a singer, led the crowd in singing his famous ballad, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as he joined Mrs Feinstein at the head of the parade, along with a San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Joe Montana, and Joe Spano of “Hill Street Blues.”

The midday ceremony at Union Square opened four days of festivities, including street musicians and clowns, fireworks in the shape of cable cars, and a menagerie of entertainment ranging from a homing pigeon salute to a drill team of performing Dobermann pinschers and two chimps in evening gowns.

A group with a sharp eye for business sold sections of the original rails, torn up in the renovation, for SUS2O ($30.80) apiece. At Ghirardelli Square,

site of a renovated chocolate factory, cable car confections were being made and sourdough bread and salami were used to build another life-size cable car.

The city’s nineteenth century transport system, the last surviving cable car line in the nation, was derailed 20months ago for the overhaul.

Some 1200 workers laboured over 59 city blocks to bring the system up to twentieth century standards and improve its ability to withstand earthquakes.