The Quarter Century of Service Award honors those individuals or organizations that have contributed to the livability of a particular place for over 25 years. These honorees have exemplified strong and enduring leadership, creative solutions to community challenges, and long-term relevance thereby paving the way for other community building entities. This is the inaugural year of this award.
This award honors organizations that have exemplified strong and enduring leadership, creative solutions to community challenges, and long-term relevance, thereby paving the way for other community- building entities.
SPUR was formed as the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Commission shortly after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to help improve the quality of housing in San Francisco. As the organization evolved over the years, its focus expanded.
SPUR was one of the first organizations to advocate for “transit first” policies, as well as fight for affordable housing in a city that has seen its cost of living grow at a rapid pace. The organization promoted the central city as the key point of development while limiting suburban sprawl. SPUR also advocated for the development of the BART transit system and played a large role in the founding of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. These successful endeavors among others helped to create the modern and eminently livable San Francisco we know today.
With over 4,000 active members, a new office in San Jose, and plans for another office in Oakland, SPUR is looking to expand their balanced approach to planning. No doubt, SPUR will help those communities flourish by contributing to their design and planning as they have in San Francisco for decades.
Gabriel Metcalf is the executive director of SPUR. Under his leadership, SPUR has grown dramatically in influence and membership. Before becoming executive director in 2005, Gabriel headed up SPUR’s policy and advocacy work for five years. Prior to SPUR, he worked for the Bay Institute, an environmental organization focused on California water policy. He was also a co-founder of City CarShare and for many years served as its board chairman.
Arts Extension Service, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is honored for their groundbreaking work as a leading arts service organization that bridges research and practice by providing education, training, research, and professional development opportunities to state and local arts agencies, arts managers, and artists. Their influential work has laid the groundwork that established local cultural councils throughout Massachusetts, launched the New England Film Festival, and developed a diversity of publications and programs. These include the nation’s only online Bachelor’s Degree in Arts Administration, a Peer Advising Network that transforms community arts leaders into peer consultants, and Artist-in- Business trainings that balances skill-building with creating community for the arts.
