[House] eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- January 18, 2023

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements Esprit Park Groundbreaking on January 20 Join us for a groundbreaking ceremony at Esprit Park (20th and Minnesota streets) on Friday, January 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. to mark the beginning of highly anticipated improvements to this popular neighborhood park. There will be brief remarks, refreshments and children's nature activities to celebrate this milestone. For more information about the project, click the link below. Esprit Park Project   Swan Song: Blanche, Palace of Fine Arts Swan, Dead at 28 Blanche, the swan who captured the hearts of generations of visitors to the Palace of Fine Arts, has died at 28. Blanche passed away Thursday, Jan. 12 at her home in Sonoma County, where she retired in July 2022 after a lifetime at the Palace of Fine Arts lagoon amid concerns about avian flu and lead in the urban soil. The move was to be temporary, but the recently widowed mute swan blossomed at the idyllic country estate, where she was reunited with her son Stanley. While mute swans are normally territorial and aggressive, Blanche was blessed with a sanguine, gregarious temperament. She charmed visitors with her proud poses and bottom-wiggling greetings. She had a passion for corn and clover, and a weakness for the occasional Cheez-It for dessert.  Blanche was born May 5, 1994 at the Palace of Fine Arts to mother Friday and father Stella—who had been purchased as a female and quickly revealed to be male when Friday became pregnant the previous season. Blanche’s parents were deeply in love, even by mate-for-life standards. Blanche spent her early years on the water with her parents, her brother Mortimer, and her sisters Knuckles and Monday II. But tragedy would soon shatter their family. Mortimer mated with his sister Knuckles and became territorial once their cygnets hatched. In 2001, he killed his father and attacked his mother. Mortimer, Knuckles, and their children were subsequently given to a breeder in Point Reyes.   For a time, Blanche, her mother Friday and sister Monday II enjoyed a placid life on the lagoon. But in early 2010, someone stole Friday. She was found six months later in the backyard of a private residence in the avenues and rehomed.   Then, in November of the same year, Monday was found with her neck broken. Scattered feathers and discarded beer cans were nearby, but the assailant was never brought to justice.   In 2011, Blanche was joined on the lagoon by Blue Boy and they quickly became mates and co-parents to their resulting cygnets. Blue Boy was a devoted but protective partner, prone to chasing off birds and humans alike during mating season. The couple shared a love for Recreation and Park Department gardeners, particularly Emma Thoeni. Blue Boy died in 2021 at 17, leaving Blanche as the sole swan to grace the placid waters.    Blanche is survived by her son Stanley, caretaker Gayle Hagerty, and countless admirers including Rec and Park employees, city residents, and tourists from around the world. In lieu of flowers, please honor Blanche by getting outside and enjoying a park. For more information on Blanche's life, click the link below. The Life of Blanche the Swan    MLK Luncheon Celebrates Dr. King's Legacy We celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the values he embodied at the 39th Annual MLK Luncheon last week. At the luncheon, we gave out the Keeping the Dream Alive Awards, with one going to a community member and the other to a Rec and Park team. The award winner's work embodied the theme for the year, which was Furthering the Quest for Equity and Inclusion. San Francisco Human Rights Commission Executive Director Dr. Sheryl Davis received the community award, while our Gardener Apprentice Program received our Rec and Park team award. We want to express our gratitude to the awardees and their teams for their work to lift up all those who have been overlooked and for honoring Dr. King's legacy. A special thanks to our recreation team for organizing the event, as well as to our attendees including Mayor London Breed, State Senator Scott Wiener, State Controller Malia Cohen, Supervisors Shamann Walton, Ahsha Safai, and Myrna Melgar, San Francisco Police Department's Chief Bill Scott, San Francisco Fire Department's Chief Jeanine Nicholson and Assistant Deputy Chief Shon Buford, our Rec and Park Commissioners and many more!   Greenager Program Now Accepting Applications for 2023 The Greenager Program is looking for rising 9th and 10th graders who live in or attend a school in the Southeast or Northeast neighborhoods of San Francisco. This youth stewardship and leadership program is a collaboration between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and Port of San Francisco that runs from June through November. The program offers teens a chance to take a leadership role in the community by improving the city’s green spaces, creating place-based projects, and addressing important local issues. General work hours are Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with some weekdays. Compensations is $18.75 per hour.   To be a Greenager, the participant must meet the criteria below: Live in or attend a school in: Southeast San Francisco including Supervisory Districts 9, 10, or 11 (Excelsior, Portola, Bayview, Hunters Point, Visitacion Valley, Crocker Amazon, or Potrero Hill, etc.) Northeast San Francisco including Supervisory Districts 3, 5 or 6 (Western Addition, Tenderloin, Chinatown, etc.) Must be a 9th or 10th grade student in the 2022 school year (Can be a 11th or 12th grader if applying as a 2nd Year Peer Leader) Completed applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 10. For more information and to apply, click the link below. Greenager Application   Now Hiring: Camp Mather Store Manager The Friends of Camp Mather are seeking candidates for the role of store manager for the Camp Mather General Store for the 2023 summer season from May 1 through September 15. Qualities they are looking for include retail experience, an upbeat and professional attitude, and a love of the camp experience. Duties include hiring, scheduling, and managing staff, as well as essential responsibilities such as purchasing inventory, handling cash, bank deposits, and processing payroll. The store manager will be supervised by the Board of Directors of the Friends of Camp Mather. They will provide consulting assistance to get the store up and running for the season. Benefits include salary, housing and meals, and the joy of being at Camp Mather for the summer. For more information, click the link below. Camp Mather Store Manager   SF Chronicle: Is this the Most Underrated Park in S.F.? Read the San Francisco Chronicle's piece on a hidden gem in San Francisco's southeast: Bayview Park. Learn more about the spectacular views it offers, as well as its early history and the hill's own clash with Candlestick Park at the link below! (Photo Credit: Paul Kuroda) SF's Most Underrated Park   Year of the Rabbit: Lunar New Year Begins on January 22 This Sunday, January 22 is the start of the Lunar New Year! Join the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Festival and Parade to help celebrate the Year of the Rabbit in San Francisco with community events including the annual parade on Saturday, February 4 and the Basketball Jamboree at Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Recreation Center (830 Sacramento Street) on Saturday, January 28. For more information on Chinese New Year Festival and Parade events citywide, click the link below. Chinese New Year Festival & Parade   Japantown History Mural Project Community Meeting on January 30 Provide your input on a mural honoring historic Japantown. The San Francisco Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), working with the artistic team of MissionArt415 will create a mural on the exterior wall facing Geary Boulevard at the entrance to the Peace Plaza. The mural will depict the neighborhood’s 115 years of history and feature the people and events that tell the story of one of the three remaining Japantowns in the U.S. Join the JACL for a series of community meetings to provide guidance for this project, with the next on Monday, January 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (1840 Sutter Street). For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. JACL Mural Project   Upcoming Events   City Job Fair at Tenderloin Recreation Center on January 21 Looking for a career change? San Francisco Recreation and Parks, along with other government agencies and community organizations are hosting a series of four Saturday job fairs in 2023 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The second will be on Saturday, January 21 at Tenderloin Recreation Center (570 Ellis Street). Swing by and find the right job for you! For more information, email rpd_recruitment at sfgov.org or call (415) 831-2726. Rec and Park Jobs   King Tides Nature Walk at the EcoCenter on January 21 Join our staff at the EcoCenter in Heron's Head Park (32 Jennings Street) for a talk about King Tides on Saturday, January 21 from 10 to 11 a.m. Learn what they are, what causes them and how climate change fits in. For more information and to register, click the link below. Additional questions? Call (415) 676-1394 or email ecocenterhhp at sfgov.org. King Tide Nature Walk   Mobile Rec at Waller Street Skate Park on January 21 Mobile Rec returns in 2023 to Waller Street Skate Park (751 Stanyan Street) on Saturday, January 21 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 this Saturday! For more information, click the link below. Mobile Rec   Light Up the Night Bike Parade in Golden Gate Park on January 21 Join the San Francisco Parks Alliance, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and REI for their Light Up the Night Bike Parade in Golden Gate Park this Saturday, January 21. The event begins at 4 p.m. by Peacock Meadow on the JFK Promenade, where you can grab free light accessories. For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. Light Up the Night Bike Parade   SF City Cats vs. Arizona Flames at Kezar Pavilion on January 21 Join the San Francisco City Cats of the American Basketball Association (ABA) as they play their home games at Kezar Pavilion (755 Stanyan Street). The next game is Saturday, January 21 beginning at 7:15 p.m. against the Arizona Flames where ages 14 and under get in for free! In addition, there will be a free training for youth ages 7 to 12 before the game from 5 to 5:40 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link below. SF City Cats   SF Environment's Go Electric at Home Presentation on January 24 Ready to ditch high gas prices, while fighting climate change? Learn from City and County of San Francisco staff on how to cut your costs and get thousands of dollars in rebates/tax credits for electric vehicles and electric energy-saving appliances at home. This free virtual presentation will take place on Tuesday, January 24 from noon to 1 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. Go Electric at Home   Annual Budget Meetings on January 24 and February 8 Our annual budget meetings are coming up with the first at Hamilton Recreation Center (1900 Geary Boulevard) on Tuesday, January 24 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The second will occur virtually on Wednesday, February 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Join us as we discuss preliminary plans for fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Learn about our department's budget instructions for the next two years, and let us know your priorities in your neighborhood parks. To RSVP for the virtual meeting, click the link below. Virtual Budget Meeting   Community Social Doubles at Goldman Tennis Center on January 27 San Francisco tennis players, advanced beginners through intermediate, are invited to play in the Tennis Coalition of San Francisco's Friday evening social doubles series. Meet other players at your level for round-robin sets in an organized and fun environment! For more information and to register for the social on January 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Goldman Tennis Center (Nancy Pelosi and Bowling Green drives), click the link below. Community Social Doubles   Programming Tween Fashion Star Classes at Harvey Milk Center for the Arts Youth ages 10 to 13, unleash your inner designer with our Tween Fashion Star class at Harvey Milk Center for the Arts (50 Scott Street). Classes are currently taking place on Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. through March 7. Learn to design, cut, sew, and embellish your own original garments and accessories. Students will learn to sew by hand and with a machine, as well as techniques such as dyeing and printing. For more information and to register, click the link below. Tween Fashion Star   Urban Anglers Fishing Program at the EcoCenter Hook a new hobby in 2023 with the Urban Angler fishing program at the EcoCenter in Heron's Head Park (32 Jennings Street). It will take place on select Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon for ages 10 and up beginning on February 3. Note that participants ages 16 and up need a California fishing license to participate, which can be purchased at this link. For more information and to register, click the link below. Additional questions? Contact EcoCenter staff at ecocenterhhp at sfgov.org or call (415) 676-1394.  Urban Anglers   Performing Arts Workshop's Youth Classes at the Geneva Powerhouse The Performing Arts Workshop is calling youth for its spring programming at the Geneva Powerhouse (2301 San Jose Avenue)! Sign up for free classes including Family Carnaval, Spoken Word, and Comics and Film. Students will have the opportunity to engage in learning, contextualizing, and practicing an art form in collaboration with a teaching artist and peers. For more information and to sign up, click the link below. Geneva Powerhouse Spring Session   India Basin Shoreline Park Hosts Toy Giveaway for the Community To wrap-up 2022, the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) hosted its India Basin Holiday in the Park Toy Giveaway last month at India Basin Shoreline Park, with support from community partners and the India Basin Waterfront Park Project. Our Video of the Week highlights this event, in which more than 150 families picked out toys, enjoyed music and refreshments, and participated in a raffle and other fun activities. We also held a special ceremony for the newly painted India Basin Shoreline Park hypecourt by local artist Nina Fabunmi. She led a cohort of five local youth from Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) to create several designs that reflected themselves, with the final one being chosen by the community. Paint the Void helped to coordinate volunteer painters to turn the final design into a reality. The giveaway and hypecourt were made possible by the India Basin Waterfront Park Project and its Equitable Development Plan: the blueprint to ensure we deliver a park designed by and for the BVHP community. Read the full plan at the link below. Hypecourt drone shots courtesy of Paint the Void, Building 180 and Videographer Masaki Omori. Equitable Development Plan   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!
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.digitalkingdom.org/pipermail/house/attachments/20230119/ee020252/attachment-0001.htm>