Park area renamed for Robin Williams

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission voted unanimously Thursday to name what’s long been known as Sharon Meadow — a wide, grassy lawn on the east end of Golden Gate Park — after the late comedian and actor Robin Williams.

The widely popular effort to rechristen the space had been led by Debi Durst and her husband, Will. They have put on Comedy Day, an annual showcase for local comedians, at Golden Gate Park for the past 37 years. For the past 25 years, the event has been held at Sharon Meadow.

Williams, who had a home in Marin County, performed at the first Comedy Day and returned to perform whenever he could, Debi Durst told the commission. He also served as the event’s chief — and anonymous — patron in years when money was tight. “If it weren’t for Robin giving us some money, there would be no Comedy Day for a few years,” she said.

“He kept it going for five or six years,” Will Durst said.

“I felt compelled to do something for this man who was part of Comedy Day and the city of San Francisco in a way that would honor his memory and his comic spirit for all time,” Debi Durst said.

Sharon Meadow was named after William Sharon, a banker and later a U.S. senator from Nevada who made donations to Golden Gate Park. Sharon Meadow, the park department said, was given its name because of its proximity to the Sharon Building, which hosts a number of arts and crafts courses at the park. But the area had never been officially named by the commission.

Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the park department, threw his support behind the name change in September, but the matter had to be voted on by the commission. Former mayors Willie Brown and the late Ed Lee had also endorsed naming the space after Williams.