Reminder: eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- December 20, 2023

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements   City’s Newest Pickleball Complex Opens at Carl Larsen Park Eight new pickleball courts opened at Carl Larsen Park earlier this week, the latest added by Rec and Park to meet soaring demand. Over the past five years, we've increased the number of public pickleball courts seven-fold, bringing the number of courts from just 12 in 2018 to more than 80 places to play. The new courts will be dedicated solely to pickleball—one of the fastest growing sports in the nation—seven days a week. Rec and Park led an extensive and robust community process with guidance from the Tennis Coalition of San Francisco and the leadership of the Pickleball Working Group, which provided an opportunity for a new site that accommodates eight dedicated fenced courts and the availability of parking and restroom access. The explosion of pickleball in recent years has led Rec and Park to work steadily to increase the number of places to play. Currently, we have 63 outdoor pickleball courts and 24 indoor pickleball facilities, including some recreation centers. Of those, 22 are dedicated courts, and five of the overall sites have dedicated pickleball hours. Demand for the sport continues to grow, with the organization USA Pickleball reporting a 30 percent increase in membership in 2022. To meet that demand, every tennis court that Rec and Park repaves now includes dual-painted lines for pickleball. Of our park system’s 139 tennis courts, more than 12 percent have been dual lined for pickleball—and more are on the way. Rec and Park is working to identify underused public spaces that can support future pickleball complexes. For more information, click the link below. City's Newest Pickleball Complex Opens   Mayor Breed Celebrates the Reopening of Fillmore Turk Mini Park Thank you to Mayor London Breed, community organizations, and the Fillmore families who helped reopen Fillmore Turk Mini Park last Friday with a holiday celebration. The mini park’s $2.6 million community-led renovation creates a more comfortable green oasis in the heart of the historic neighborhood. Renovations include improved drainage, enhanced outdoor space and lawn, upgraded lighting, game tables, new benches that double as sculptures, and more. During the celebration, CHARM—a collaborative of City departments and nonprofits dedicated to youth and health kicked off the park’s traditional series of tree giveaways. The celebration was immediately followed by the Second Annual Holiday Night Market and Block Party at Fillmore and O'Farrell streets featuring live music, a kids’ wonderland, food trucks, and local vendors. The New Community Leadership Foundation was the catalyst for the park improvements beginning in 2016 after receiving $330,000 from the 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond’s Community Opportunity Fund. San Francisco Beautiful served as NCLF’s nonprofit sponsor. In total, bond funding provided $1.6 million toward the project. A special thanks to former Supervisor Vallie Brown and TS Studio for providing additional support for this project, as well as to Noe Valley Bakery for providing cookies for the event! For more information, click the link below. Fillmore Turk Mini Park Reopening   Report: SF Parks Hit High Marks, Earn Gains in Equity San Francisco’s parks and plazas continued to earn top marks for maintenance over the past fiscal year, while two public spaces—Muriel Leff Mini Park in the Richmond District and Sunnyside Conservatory in the Sunnyside neighborhood—received perfect scores, according to a San Francisco Controller's Office report released earlier this week. Other highlights of the 2023 Park Maintenance Standards Annual Report include: Overall Park Maintenance Score: The citywide park maintenance score for the fiscal year 2022-2023 (FY23) stands at an impressive 91 percent. Equitable Distribution: Over the years, there has been a shift in the distribution of high- and low-scoring parks. While FY15 to FY19 saw a concentration of higher scoring parks in the northern part of the city, FY20 to FY23 witnessed a more equitable distribution. Equity Zone Performance: Parks in equity zones, neighborhoods that have faced past environmental injustices, maintained an average score of 89 percent in FY23, remaining unchanged from FY22. Over 60 percent of Rec and Parks’ capital dollars are invested in equity zones, which comprise 20 percent of the city’s park acreage. Additionally, the Bayview’s Hilltop Park and the Visitacion Valley Greenway tied for most improved park maintenance scores, both rising 15 points to 93 percent. The park maintenance report, now in its 16th year, serves as a valuable resource for decision making and transparency, aligning with Rec and Park’s strategic goals and the city's commitment to maintaining vibrant public spaces. For more information, including a link to the report, click the link below. 2023 Parks Maintenance Report   Holiday Celebrations in our Parks From McCoppin Square to the Marina Small Craft Harbor, our parks have been hosting holiday events for their respective communities with tree lightings, gift sales, toy drives and much more. Swing by our parks across the city this holiday season to check out their festive features, including Entwined: Elder Mother in Golden Gate Park, an illuminated forest in Huntington Park, the Union Square Winter Walk, and more!     St. Mary's and Hamilton Recreation Centers Closed for Floor Refinishing Heads up! Both St. Mary's and Hamilton Recreation centers are closed for floor refinishing projects and maintenance. St. Mary’s will be closed through December 25, while Hamilton will be closed through January 8.   Summer Jobs for Teens: Apply Now for the Workreation Program Applications for summer 2024 Workreation positions are now being accepted. Over the past 60+ years, our Workreation program has provided young people with early work experience in our parks. Teens, ages 14-17, who either live or go to school in San Francisco, are eligible to apply for a Workreation job. Teens can apply for summer positions in day camps, rec centers or parks. The pay rate is currently $20.75/hr and teens can work up to 25 hours per week during the summer. The application period will close at earliest on Monday, January 8 at 5 p.m. For more information and to apply, click the link below. Curious about what its like to work in this program? Watch this video that highlights last summer's Workreation cohort at this link. Workreation   Register for the San Francisco Youth Baseball League's 2024 Season It's not too early to think about the 2024 San Francisco Youth Baseball League (SFYBL) season! The league includes baseball divisions for boys and girls, ages 4-14, with the season beginning March 2024. Register today at the link below. Questions? Contact the league coordinator at emmanuel.blackwell at sfgov.org. SFYBL Registration   Gene Friend Rec Center Project: Last Day of Operations December 21 We're getting close to the start of the Gene Friend Recreation Center project, with the groundbreaking anticipated for early 2024. Please note that the last day of operations for the old recreation center will be this Thursday, December 21. The project will create a completely new modern building that will be significantly larger than the previous facility. It will feature a two-court gymnasium, exercise facilities, and two multipurpose rooms. Outdoor improvements will include a new playground, multi-court, plantings, and lighting. Learn more about the project and stay up to date at the link below. Gene Friend Rec Center Project   2024 Camp Mather Lottery Open Through January 5 The lottery for Camp Mather's 100th season is currently open and will run through Friday, January 5 of 2024. Family Camp will run in weeklong sessions from June 2 through August 17, with Inclusion Week from July 28 to August 3. To register for the lottery, you will need a Rec and Park account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one at sfrecpark.org/register or call us at (628) 652-2900 for assistance. Registrants will need to upload a verification of San Francisco residency after a lottery application has been submitted, with the deadline for this on January 5, 2024. For more information, including rules and regulations, as well as fees, click the link below. Camp Mather   Coyotes Exploring San Francisco Have you noticed more coyotes in your neighborhood? This time of year, yearlings tend to seek out new territories and can often be seen wandering our streets. As they explore, let's make sure we're coexisting harmoniously:   Leash Those Pups: If you're out with your four-legged friends, keep them on a leash when not in designated off-leash dog parks. It's not just a city law; it's a wildlife-friendly move. Lock It Up: Secure your trash cans and bring pet food inside to avoid tempting our coyote neighbors. A little extra precaution goes a long way. Respect Their Space: If you spot a coyote, maintain a safe distance. These creatures contribute to our city's ecosystem, so let's give them the space they need.    Have you had any coyote encounters lately? Please report sightings to San Francisco Animal Care and Control at acc at sfgov.org. For more information, click the link below. Coyotes in the City   Park Padel at Embarcadero Plaza Check out Park Padel's new one-year pop-up courts located in Embarcadero Plaza! Padel, frequently described as a cross between tennis and squash, is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Like pickleball, padel is easy to learn, social, and usually played as a doubles game on a court about a third of the size of a tennis court. However, padel courts are bounded by glass walls, allowing players to hit the ball off multiple surfaces, much like squash. Free play with advanced reservation takes place Monday through Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information and to make a reservation, click the link below. Park Padel   Holiday Ice Rink at Union Square The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink, presented by Kaiser Permanente, is back at Union Square (333 Post Street). Hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily through January 15, with the exception of closing at 9:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 8 and under, with skate rental included in the cost of admission. All tickets must be purchased in advance and a portion of ticket proceeds benefits San Francisco Recreation and Parks. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link below.  Union Square Ice Rink   Upcoming Events   Bean Sprouts Family Days at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Come out to the San Francisco Botanical Garden's (1199 9th Avenue) Bean Sprout Family Days this week. There will be a program day on Thursday, December 21 from 10 a.m. to noon and a special holiday program on Friday, December 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the last family day of 2023. Grab some tools at the garden's welcome station or bring your own to dig, water, pick, build and explore in the Children's Garden. All programs are free of charge with no preregistration required. The program will return in February 2024, though the Children's Garden will remain open during regular garden hours before then. For more information, click the link below. Bean Sprouts Family Days   India Basin Holiday in the Park Toy Giveaway on December 22 Join the A. Philip Randolph Institute, as well as India Basin Waterfront Park and community partners for the India Basin Holiday in the Park event on Friday, December 22 at India Basin Shoreline Park (Hunters Point Boulevard and Hawes Street) from 2 to 6 p.m. In addition to the free toy giveaway, the event will feature free holiday arts and crafts, hot chocolate, photobooth, and raffle prizes, as well as the Only Loud Squad small business market that features local small businesses to help you with some last minute holiday shopping! For more information, click the link below. Holiday in the Park   Lakeview/OMI Kwanzaa Celebration on December 29 Join the OMI Cultural Participation Project, Village Project, Rec and Park, and community partners for its Lakeview/OMI Kwanzaa celebration on Friday, December 29 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center (650 Capitol Avenue). Kwanzaa, which is celebrated annually from December 26 through January 1, pays tribute to the rich cultural roots of Americans of African ancestry. The event will feature live performances, local vendors and cultural celebrations. For more information, call Monique Crowther at (415) 337-4710.   Programming   120 Years of SFMTA Exhibit at Harvey Milk Photo Center Swing by the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) to check out its 120 Years of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) photo exhibit. Curated by Jeremy Menzies and Melissa Castro Keesor, this exhibit draws on the 120-year-old collections of photographs in the SFMTA photo department and archive. Capturing everything from buses and streetcars to major historical events, the images inadvertently document the growth of San Francisco from a sandy backwater into a major metropolis. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through February 3, 2024. For more information, click the link below. 120 Years of SFMTA   Drop-In Wheelchair Basketball at Glen Park Rec Center Glen Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) is hosting a free drop-in wheelchair basketball session every Saturday from 9 to 10:45 a.m. through January 6. All ages are welcome. You don't have to have a mobility disability to participate, but you must be able to maneuver a wheelchair. Wheelchairs are available (will fit people at least 5-feet tall). Let's get hooping!   Mobile Rec at Hilltop Skate Park on December 23 Mobile Rec comes to Hilltop Park (La Salle Avenue and Whitney Young Circle) on Saturday, December 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy free BMX biking, skateboarding and more. Equipment will be provided. Grind rails and catch some air! For more information, click the link below. Mobile Rec   Sundays at the Beach on the Great Highway: Mat Yoga on December 24 Join the Friends of Great Highway Park for its Sundays at the Beach programming. These free activities from live music to chair yoga, will be hosted four times a month. The next event will be mat yoga on Sunday, December 24 at the Great Highway and Judah Street at noon. For more information, click the link below. Great Highway Park   India Basin Fall Fest Video and Apply for Hip Hop in the Park Our Video of the Week comes from Hip Hop for Change (HH4C) and is a highlight reel of India Basin Fall Fest. Hip Hop for Change organized a number of workshops at this event including hip-hop fashion, breakdancing, airbrush art and more, as well as performances in honor of hip-hop's 50th anniversary. The day served as a preview for the Hip Hop in the Park Initiative, a program supported by a grant from the San Francisco Foundation, in partnership with the California Arts Council. HH4C is currently recruiting for Hip Hop in the Park, which is slated to begin in January 2024. They are offering five different youth workshop series. Youth applicants ages 13-17 from Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) can apply to be in one of the following series: MCing, DJing/Beatmaking, Graffiti, Dance, and Hip Hop Fashion, with the deadline to apply on Thursday, December 21. For more information and to apply, click the link below. The program is made possible through the India Basin Waterfront Park Project and its Equitable Development Plan, a partnership between Rec and Park, the A. Philip Randolph Institute, San Francisco Parks Alliance, Trust for Public Land, and the BVHP community. Hip Hop in the Park   San Francisco Recreation and Parks | sfrecpark.org         SF Recreation and Parks | McLaren Lodge-Golden Gate Park, 501 Stanyan Street, San Francisco , CA 94117 Unsubscribe house at digitalkingdom.org Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by rpdinfo at sfgov.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!
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