SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- San Francisco's Recreation and Park Commission has decided to have a meadow in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park named after late U.S. comedian and actor Robin Williams, local media reported Friday.

The meadow on the east end of Golden Gate Park, previously called Sharon Meadow, got the new name in honor of Williams, who was a native resident in the Bay Area in San Francisco, a major tourist city on the U.S. west coast, and performed at the first Comedy Day, an event he has supported for many years.

The meadow, which was used as an emergency hospital during the 1906 earthquake and fire, now serves as the site for events including the Easter Eggstravaganza and Comedy Day.

The free event, which began in 1981 at Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse, has since been moved to the meadow next to the Sharon Building in the park.

More than half a million people have attended the event for over 37 years, local media said.

Williams, who has been known for his high-energy oddball standup routines and various roles in TV shows and movies, committed suicide in August 2014 at the age of 63.