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Bay Area Council facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Bay Area Council is a group of businesses in San Francisco, California. It was started in 1945 after World War II. Its main goal is to help the San Francisco Bay Area grow and become better economically. This means they work to create jobs and improve the region for everyone.

Bay Area Council logo
The logo of the Bay Area Council

What is the Bay Area Council?

The Bay Area Council is like a team of important businesses working together. They focus on making the San Francisco Bay Area a great place to live and work. They help with things like creating new jobs and making sure the economy is strong.

How it Started

When the Bay Area Council began in 1945, many big companies joined. Some of these included Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Transamerica Corporation, and Standard Oil of California. Other founding members were Pacific Gas and Electric, Bechtel, Kaiser Industries, and Clorox. These companies wanted to help rebuild and improve the region after the war.

Helping the Environment

Even in the 1940s, the Bay Area Council cared about the environment. They acted like an early "watchdog" group, looking out for the health of the Bay Area's natural spaces. In 1965, they helped create a special law. This law led to the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. This commission works to protect the San Francisco Bay and its shoreline.

Improving Transportation

The Council also played a big part in making transportation better. In the 1950s, they pushed for a large public transportation system. This idea eventually became the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) system. BART helps millions of people travel around the Bay Area quickly. Later, in 1970, the Council helped create the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. This group plans and manages transportation for the entire region.

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