eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- February 7, 2024

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements   SF Leaders & Community Break Ground on Gene Friend Rec Center Mayor London Breed joined City leaders and community members earlier this week to break ground on the transformative Eugene L. Friend Recreation Center project, which will replace the old facility with a bright, modern hub with 50% more space to serve the needs of children, families, and seniors in the vibrant SoMa neighborhood. Opening of the new center is projected for mid-2026. At the heart of the $59 million project at 270 6th Street is a commitment to neighborhood connection and well-being. The 25,000 square foot center will be able to accommodate a diverse array of activities and classes aimed at all ages. It includes a gymnasium with two full size basketball courts surrounded by expansive windows for natural light, as well as an inviting new entry on Harriet Street. The design features a modern exercise area, a kitchenette, reception area and office, and two multi-purpose rooms connected to both the entry lobby and new exterior playground, creating a safe and protected area for supervised play. Additional outdoor amenities in the dense urban area include a picnic area and sport court, all complemented by new landscaping and lighting. The Health and Recovery Bond introduced by Mayor Breed and passed by voters with more than 70% approval, provided $30 million in funding for the project. The Trust for Public Land provided an in-kind grant of $520,500 to fund the project’s feasibility study and design process through a gift from the Friend Family Foundation. Additional funding was provided through developer impact fees. Built in 1990, the former SoMa Rec Center was renamed in 2002 for Eugene L. Friend, who served on the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission for 24 years, including 13 years as its President. The longtime community gathering spot is located in the heart of the SoMa Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District. Youth programs keep the facility bustling, while its gym has been a busy spot for pickup basketball games, including wheelchair basketball. Mark Cavagnero Associates, in a joint venture with Kuth Ranieri Architects, designed the new center. For more information, click the link below. Gene Friend Groundbreaking   Share Feedback on Gene Friend Rec Center Art Proposals The San Francisco Arts Commission is conducting a review process to choose an artist to create an integrated wall artwork for the interior north-facing wall of the gymnasium at the new Gene Friend Recreation Center. Three artists were chosen as finalists by a public art review panel to design site-specific proposals for this artwork opportunity: Adrian Arias, Cece Carpio, and ChiChai Mateo. The artwork should illuminate the rich history and full diversity of San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood including recognition of SoMa Pilipinas, the Filipino Cultural Heritage District. The artwork should also lift up the facility as a destination and proud neighborhood asset. Click the link below to review the artwork proposals and provide feedback by Friday, February 23 at 5 p.m. Art Proposals for Gene Friend Rec Center   National Girls and Women in Sports Day Today, February 7, we celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day! We’re proud to provide opportunities to help girls develop their sport skills and leadership abilities. We have a number of offerings coming up, including: Free girls baseball clinic with the San Francisco Bay Sox for ages 7-14 on Saturday, February 10 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Bayview K.C. Jones Playground. Learn more and RSVP at this link. A free girls softball clinic with the Giants Community Fund as a part of our academy program for girls ages 8-17. It will take place on Saturday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Silver Terrace Playground with special guests from Cal State East Bay softball team! Learn more and RSVP at this link. Mission Recreation Center (MRC) Rebels girls AAU basketball tryouts take place on February 27, 29 and March 5 for grades 4-8, while high school tryouts take place on March 6 and 8. All tryouts take place at Mission Recreation Center (2450 Harrison Street) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn more and sign up at this link. Learn more about Rec and Park's girls sports programs and offerings at the link below. Girls Sports   11th and Natoma Park: Call for Naming Proposals by February 12 In partnership with community organizations from the SoMa neighborhood, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department is taking proposals for the naming of a new park located within western SoMa at the intersection of 11th and Natoma streets. This initiative aims to involve the community in selecting a meaningful and appropriate name that resonates with the park's location, historical significance, or honors an individual's contributions to the SoMa community. The submission deadline is Monday, February 12 with two virtual community meetings to present and review nominations on Tuesday, February 13 and Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. For more information, click the link below. 11th & Natoma Naming Proposals   Lake Merced South Reopening Celebration on February 14 Join us for the reopening of Lake Merced South on Wednesday, February 14 at 1 p.m. at the parking lot at 516 John Muir Drive. Swing by to check out the newest amenities including a fitness court, picnic tables, benches, ADA parking, landscape upgrades and more! For more information about the project, click the link below. To RSVP, email lamonte.bishop at sfgov.org. Lake Merced Project   Silver Terrace Playground Design Survey Open Through February 15 The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department is planning improvements for Silver Terrace Playground, including to the park’s irrigation system, landscaping, fencing, and picnic seating, as well as an addition of a Nature Exploration Area. We’re at the very beginning of this design process and looking for your feedback on the project. Click this link to take the design survey.   For additional information, contact Keri Ayers by email at keri.ayers at sfgov.org or by phone at (628) 652-6642. Learn more about the project at the link below. Silver Terrace Playground Improvements   Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse Reopening on February 16 Join us for the reopening of the Golden Gate Park Golf Clubhouse on Friday, February 16 at 11 a.m. This event will celebrate the brand new clubhouse with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The clubhouse will serve as a hub for the 9-hole par 3 course, which is popular both with new players and experts. Learn more about the project at the link below. The Golden Gate Park Golf Course is operated by First Tee San Francisco, a nonprofit youth development organization that teaches kids leadership, self-confidence and resilience through golf. First Tee is located at four sites in the Bay Area and serves more than 15,000 youth. It provides youth classes as well as tee times. Golden Gate Park Golf Clubhouse Project   Summer Resource Fair at the County Fair Building on February 24 Join Rec and Park and the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF) for our Summer Resource Fair! The citywide event takes place on Saturday, February 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue). Get started on planning your family's summer, as this event will feature 100 summer camps, classes, programs, and services for children in grades K-8. For more information, click the link below. Summer Resource Fair   Magnificent Magnolias at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Magnificent Magnolias is back at the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue) this winter! Experience one of the most significant conservation collections of magnolias in the United States in bloom mid-January through March. Admire the sights and scents on the branches of more than 200 elegant trees, as velvety silver buds and saucer-sized pink, white, and magenta flowers make an appearance in this spectacular annual bloom. For more information, click the link below. Magnificent Magnolias   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   Severe Storm Impacts in our Parks San Francisco is in the midst of some wet and windy weather that is expected to pick up again next week. While using your parks, please be alert as strong gusts can topple healthy trees and snap limbs. In addition, there may be flooding throughout sections of our parks. Please avoid all flooded areas. Stay up to date on park impacts and closures at sfrecpark.org. In addition, be sure to check out tips for what to do during severe storms from the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management at the link below. Severe Storm Info   Upcoming Events   Tai Chi at the Silver Terrace Basketball Courts Starting February 8 Celebrate the Lunar New Year with free Tai Chi classes in the park on Thursdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Silver Terrace (1700 Silver Avenue) basketball courts starting on February 8. Hosted by the San Francisco Parks Alliance, classes are open to all ages and will run through March 14, offering a chance to improve your balance, concentration, and self-awareness through this graceful art. For more information and to sign up, click the link below. Tai Chi at Silver Terrace   Superbowl Cheer-Off at the Gardens of Golden Gate Park on February 8 Calling all 49er Faithful! The Gardens of Golden Gate Park are having a cheer-off against Kansas City's Powell Gardens and they want you to be in their social media video. Help cheer for the home team ahead of the Super Bowl this Sunday, February 11 where the San Francisco 49ers are facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs. Choose a garden and meet at the time listed below to be in the video. Wear your best red and gold and stay afterward to enjoy the garden! 11:50 a.m. on the Great Meadow at San Francisco Botanical Garden 12:20 p.m. in front of the Tea House in the Japanese Tea Garden 12:50 p.m. on JFK Promenade in front of the Conservatory of Flowers (over the tunnel)   Ikebana International's Flowing Blossom Demonstration on February 9 Join Ikebana International's San Francisco Bay Area Chapter for its flowing blossom demonstration on Friday, February 9 starting at noon at the County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue) in Golden Gate Park. Ikebana, or Japanese flower arrangement, is an ancient Asian art vibrantly practiced in contemporary interpretations by this organization's members. The event will celebrate the 64th anniversary of this chapter and will feature a demonstration by Ikenobo Ikebana Artist Julie Nakatani, as well as tea and treats. For more information, click the link below. Ikebana International   Fungi on the Farm at Alemany Farm on February 10 Join the Friends of Alemany Farm (700 Alemany Boulevard) and J.R. Blair for a fungal exploration of the farm on Saturday, February 10 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will serve as an introduction to the life cycles of these fascinating organisms, with a discussion of the ecological roles that fungi play in the environment and on the farm. Participants will seek out mushrooms and other kinds of visible manifestations of fungi, such as rusts and lichens. For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. Alemany Farm Workshops   Community Skate Jam at Waller Street Skate Park on February 10 As a part of Pablo Weekend, join the Pablo Ramirez Foundation for its community skate jam at Waller Street Skate Park (Waller and Stanyan streets) on Saturday, February 10 from 2 to 5 p.m. There will be free skate lessons from the foundation and San Francisco Skate Club, merch giveaways, a live jazz set with Baby Steps, a DJ set with ADP Beats, and more. On what would have been Pablo's 31st birthday, help celebrate his legacy by skating together and remembering his mantra that life is beautiful. For more information, click the link below. Pablo Weekend   Entwined: Elder Mother - Book Giveaway on February 10 Entwined: Elder Mother is shining bright at the JFK Promenade and Conservatory Drive East in Golden Gate Park every night after dark. It is based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale called "The Elder-Tree Mother" in which a bed-ridden child hears stories from a mystical woman in a magical tree. Golden Gate Park's Elder Mother tree also tells stories of its own, as artist Charles Gadeken collected more than 26 hours of different folklore, fairy tales, and personal anecdotes across 24 different languages that play on a loop from the tree. If you want even more stories, don’t miss the free surprise book giveaway with Green Apple Books at the installation on Saturday, February 10 from 3 to 8 p.m. The San Francisco Public Library's (SFPL) YouthMobile will also be on site with a selection of kid’s library materials available for check-out with an SFPL library card. For more information, click the link below. Entwined: Elder Mother   Super Stroll and Roll in Golden Gate Park on February 11 On Super Bowl Sunday, February 11 at 9:30 a.m., join the Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS) and Bay Area Ridge Trail for the 9th annual Super Stroll and Roll, a free event to walk and ride through San Francisco's streets and trails. This year, the event will begin at the Golden Gate Park bocce courts (Stanyan and Page streets) and head to the park's upcoming memorial, the BAYS Breast Cancer Memorial Garden. Learn more and register for this event at the link below. The Breast Cancer Memorial Garden will be Golden Gate Park's first memorial since the AIDS Memorial Garden. BAYS is nearing the finish line in its fundraising and plans to break ground and complete the memorial in 2024. Participants will get a chance to see the plans to transform the space at this event. Learn more about the memorial at this link. Super Stroll and Roll   SF Botanical Garden Lunar New Year Celebration on February 11 Join the San Francisco Botanical Garden for its Lunar New Year celebration on Sunday, February 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue). Participants of all ages can try their hand at traditional calligraphy, origami, and auspicious crafts for all ages. There will also be festive performances for guests to dance along to, as well as games of fortune with prizes. Swing by afterward to the gardens for a peaceful walk in the urban oasis. For more information, click the link below. Lunar New Year at the Botanical Garden   Bay Area Skate Fest at UN Skate Plaza on February 18 Join Rec and Park, Skate Like a Girl, and For the Town Skateboarding for the Bay Area Skate Fest at UN Skate Plaza (50 United Nations Plaza) on Sunday, February 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free, all-ages event will feature skateboard lessons with gear provided by Skate Like a Girl from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lessons will be followed by an open skate session, trick contest, and more from 1 to 3 p.m. Help celebrate the new skate space and the skateboarding community! For more information, click the link below. Bay Area Skate Fest   Programming   Sign Up for Bayview United Soccer Club Bayview United is San Francisco's first primarily Black youth soccer team for boys and girls, grades K-5. Since 2019, this free equity-driven program aims to increase access in the Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) community to the world’s game. It has set out to create a top tier soccer program with its home field at Youngblood Coleman Playground (1398 Hudson Avenue), and is open to players of all backgrounds and experience levels in the BVHP community. If interested, contact Fulton Mitchell at (415) 361-2872.   Senior Programming at Joe Lee Recreation Center Join our staff at Joseph Lee Recreation Center (1598 Oakdale Avenue) for senior programming in 2024. Classes include beginning line dance and nutrition (#37589) and bingo (#37588). For more information and to sign up, visit sfrecpark.org/register and search for the class number. Additional questions? Call (415) 970-9202.   Mobile Rec at Mission Playground on February 10 Mobile Rec comes to Mission Playground (19th and Linda streets) on Saturday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to free BMX biking and skateboarding, our rock wall will be available for aspiring climbers to reach new heights! Equipment will be provided. For more information, click the link below. Mobile Rec   Sundays at the Beach on the Great Highway: Live Music on February 11 Join the Friends of Great Highway Park for its Sundays at the Beach programming. These free activities from Tai Chi to mat yoga, will be hosted four times a month. The next program will be live music on Sunday, February 11, at Noriega Street and the Great Highway from noon to 3 p.m. For more information, click the link below. Great Highway Park   Movie Night at Glen Park Recreation Center on February 13 Join our staff at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) for classic movie nights! The next one will take place on Tuesday, February 13, beginning at 6 p.m. featuring the 1947 film "Dishonored Lady." Come out to meet your neighbors and to enjoy these vintage films. For more information, contact the center at (415) 239-4007.   Pioneer Women in Baseball: Toni Stone In honor of Black History Month, as well as National Girls and Women in Sports Day, our Video of the Week comes from the San Francisco Giants and highlights Toni Stone, who was the first woman to play professional baseball regularly in a major men's professional baseball league. Born Marcenia Stone in West Virginia, she moved to San Francisco in 1943, working odd jobs while living in the Fillmore District and pursuing her baseball career. It was in San Francisco where she took on the name Toni. She began her professional baseball career with the San Francisco Sea Lions in 1946, and would go on to play for the New Orleans Creoles, Indianapolis Clowns, and Kansas City Monarchs. Read more about her career from Major League Baseball and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at the link below. Toni Stone   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 sean.d.white at sfgov.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!
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