Reminder: eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- March 20, 2024

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements   Vote for Golden Gate Park in USA Today's Readers' Choice Awards Golden Gate Park has been nominated for USA Today's 2024 10Best Readers' Choice travel awards! Its expert panel selected Golden Gate Park as a contender for Best City Park. The contest gives people a chance to vote for the candidate of their choice through Monday, April 8 at 9 a.m. PT. A person can vote once a day for the run of the contest. For more information and to vote, click the link below. Not convinced? Swing by Golden Gate Park to check out its array of amenities including recreational activities, live music, gardens, groves, lakes, and much more! Learn more about the park and plan your next visit at this link. 10Best: City Parks   More Pickleball Coming to San Francisco Parks We’re serving up new opportunities for pickleball play through new dual-lined courts and expanded open play times! Additional improvements include a new online reservation system and a tennis-pickleball planning roundtable to better address increased demand and improve access to court time for both racket sports. Last week, we painted the dual lines on two tennis courts at Moscone Park Playground, providing six new pickleball courts. Dedicated hours for both pickleball and tennis will ensure access for all. Three more pickleball courts will be available for play this spring with two additional courts at Alta Plaza Park and one dedicated pickleball court at Rossi Playground, converted from an underutilized volleyball court. At Rossi, new dedicated open play hours for pickleball will begin March 23. Also last week, Recreation and Parks, and leadership from the tennis and pickleball communities announced the formation of the San Francisco Tennis and Pickleball Planning Roundtable (SF-TAPP) which will be led by three community leaders from both sports. The group will gather user survey data and hold one or more public meetings to hear feedback to identify additional under-utilized spaces in and outside of the city’s park system to add to the inventory of dedicated pickleball spaces that reduce user conflict with the tennis community and nearby neighbors. With the addition of the new pickleball opportunities announced, Rec and Park will be pausing conversion of tennis courts into dedicated pickleball complexes and any further dual lining of courts until this process is completed. Over the past five years, the department has increased its number of pickleball courts seven-fold, bringing the number of courts from just 12 in 2018 to nearly 90 places to play today. In April, Rec and Park will unveil a new online reservation system to better ensure access to park sport courts for all users. The new system will provide a daily schedule for courts, an organized method for professionals to offer lessons, and ensure fairness by preventing users from making multiple reservations under different account names. For more information, click this link. For details about pickleball in the Rec and Park system, including how to reserve a court, where to play, and what’s new, click the link below. Pickleball in our Parks   India Basin, Rec & Park Youth Programs to Receive $1.1 Million   A project to restore San Francisco’s coastal habitat and two programs that get young people outdoors will receive extra funding through the California Habitat Conservation Fund Grant Program.   Announced earlier this week, the $1.1 million in California State Parks Department funding is part of a larger grant that will provide a total of $6.7 million going toward 19 projects across the state that are furthering wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement efforts.   Under the grant, the India Basin Waterfront Park project will receive $756,728 to restore and enhance wetland habitat by contouring the shoreline; planting more than 13,000 square feet of mid and high marsh zones; and constructing a pedestrian path and overlook bridge for access to the marsh. Once the project wraps up, it will create a 10-acre waterfront park in the Bayview Hunters Point community that closes a critical gap in the San Francisco Bay Trail and features new amenities as well as a restored and enhanced wetland habitat.   Also, as part of the grant, the Greenager Program will receive $200,000. The program, created in 2012, provides teens from the city’s southeast, northeast and Tenderloin neighborhoods with opportunities to become stewards and advocates for environmental change. Participants gain leadership and life skills through activities like facilitating workshops, leading volunteer service projects, participating in community events, and joining in outdoor excursions.    Lastly, the Youth Stewardship Program will receive $200,000. The program engages K-12 students in environmental education and service-learning field trips in San Francisco parks and open spaces. Students learn science, environmental education, local natural and cultural history, social responsibility, a personal connection to their communities, and fundamental life skills.   Rec and Park’s India Basin project and two youth programs were selected for the grant after the State Parks’ Office of Grant and Local Services conducted a competitive review of projects and programs throughout the state that further habitat restoration efforts. For more information, click the link below. India Basin, Youth Programs Receive $1.1 Million   Rec & Park Welcomes Newest Park Rangers in Graduation Ceremony Congratulations to our eight newest park rangers, who graduated last Friday in a special ceremony at the Lake Merced Boathouse. Our park rangers play a vital role in providing safe and equitable access to our parks. They were established by William Hammond Hall, San Francisco’s first superintendent of parks, in 1874. In 2003, our staff consisted of six rangers for citywide coverage and nine rangers for Candlestick Park. With these new rangers, we now have 58 on staff of varying ranks. Thank you to to these new graduates for their commitment to ensuring our parks are safe for all to enjoy. We look forward to seeing you outside!   SF Chronicle: Kezar Pavilion to Get Dramatic Makeover Learn about upcoming improvements to Kezar Pavilion in Golden Gate Park from the San Francisco Chronicle. Built in 1924, it's an iconic basketball facility and the workhorse gym of the park. An upcoming renovation would convert it into a neighborhood drop-in rec center and a designated disaster response facility. Read more about what's in store at the link below. Kezar Pavilion Makeover   Rec & Park Commission Meeting at Hamilton Rec Center on March 21 Join us for a special Recreation and Park Commission meeting at Hamilton Recreation Center (1900 Geary Boulevard) on Thursday, March 21 beginning at 10 a.m. Meet your commissioners and help shape the future of our parks. For more information, including the meeting agenda, click the link below. Additional questions? Please contact Commission Liaison Ashley Summers by email at ashley.summers at sfgov.org or by phone at (415) 831-2750. Rec and Park Commission   Spring Fling Community Celebration at Crocker Amazon on March 30 Rec and Park's seasonal spring party is coming to Crocker Amazon Park (799 Moscow Street) on Saturday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us for our Spring Fling, which will include live entertainment, games, activities, rock climbing, arts and crafts and more. Community partners, including the San Francisco Public Library and its Bookmobile, will also be on hand. Swing by for free springtime fun for the entire family! Free bicycle valet parking will be provided. Bicycle parking will be in the Crocker Amazon parking lot off of Moscow Street. You can enter the lot via the pathway at Moscow and Italy Avenue, or by the driveway on Moscow near France Avenue.  For accommodations, please contact us at rpdaccess at sfgov.org or (415) 831-6834. Making your request at least 72 hours before the event will help ensure availability. Interested in volunteering for this event? Help Rec and Park staff run games, activities, carnival rides and more! Sign up for the morning shift from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at this link, or the afternoon shift from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at this link. For more information, click the link below. Spring Fling   Margaret Mary Morgan: SF Trailblazer & Mother of Camp Mather In honor of Women’s History Month, and the upcoming 100th anniversary of Camp Mather, we’re highlighting Margaret Mary Morgan who was the first woman to be elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Born in 1866 in Maine, she moved with her sister to the West Coast in 1903. She was employed by a local publishing company, rising through the ranks to become office manager. During this time, she became a leading voice in the Women's Suffrage Movement, with suffrage being achieved in California in 1911. She also became a prominent leader on business and civic issues, including advocating for homeless children and labor rights. Her profile and accomplishments as a leader elevated her to become the first woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1921. On the board, she served as chair of the Parks, Education, and Playgrounds committee, where she was the driving force to create a municipal camp for San Francisco. Morgan noticed that Oakland had a municipal camp in the Sierra and came to the conclusion that San Francisco should have its own as well. She worked tirelessly to make the camp a reality and on June 16, 1924, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 22577, which named the new camp the Margaret Maryland Municipal Camp Ground. It was signed by Mayor James Rolph Jr. soon after, which put the camp under the San Francisco Playground Commission. It would be eventually be named in honor of Stephen T. Mather, the first director of the National Park Service, though this was no slight intended to Morgan. Mather's name had been associated with the area years before the municipal camp was constructed. The railroad station in the area was named for Mather, and the camp would eventually adopt its name. We're grateful for Morgan and her work to improve our city, better our park system and expand recreational opportunities for San Franciscans. We're especially grateful for her advocacy for the rights of women and the wellbeing of the underserved. Learn more about her legacy at the link below, courtesy of our Historian-in-Residence, Christopher Pollock. Margaret Mary Morgan   Now Hiring: LoveDolores Public Outreach Ambassadors In collaboration with the California Student Conservation Association, Rec and Park is seeking motivated individuals to serve as public outreach ambassadors with our LoveDolores and Coyote Coexistence campaigns. Ambassadors will work 20 hours per week on projects related to Leave No Trace, environmental conservation, waste reduction, wildlife research, and stewardship. Through outreach and education, ambassadors will work to inspire stewardship among park visitors. For more information and to apply, click the link below. Park Ambassadors   Rec and Park Job Openings Looking for a career change? Want to get outside with one of the best park systems in the country? Join our team! We're hiring for a number of positions from summer staff for Camp Mather to recreation leaders, facility assistants and more. Click the link below to see current openings. Questions? email rpd_recruitment at sfgov.org. Rec and Park Jobs   Park Padel at Embarcadero Plaza Check out Park Padel's 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 Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information and to make a reservation, click the link below. Park Padel   Upcoming Events   Civic Center Soundtrack Concert Series on March 21, 22 & 26 Civic Center Soundtrack, a free concert series by Illuminate Live, is at Fulton Plaza between San Francisco Main Library and the Asian Art Museum this spring and summer. These diverse musical performances will be held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from noon to 3 p.m. For this week, we have Jamie Wilson, Joe Burke and Nikki Nash playing on Thursday, March 21 with an adjusted time from 2 to 5 p.m. Alex Walsh, Eva, and Michael Ruy are playing on Friday, March 22. Next week's shows kick off with Ben Lang, Dwayne Jarrell, and Jesse Strickman on Tuesday, March 26. For the full lineup, click the link below. Illuminate Live   Illuminate Live at the Golden Gate Bandshell March 22, 24 & 27 Happy Women's History Month! Join Illuminate Live for a free concert series at the Golden Gate Bandshell, where all shows throughout March will feature women or women-fronted bands. This weekend's shows include Friday Happy Hour on March 22 with the Stephanie Woodford Quartet in from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Reggae Sunday on March 24 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. features DJ Guid8nce, Irie Dole, and Outlaw Yoko. Next week, we have Singer/Songwriter Wednesday on March 27 with Aireene Espiritu, Ants Fujinaga, and Deborah Crooks from 4 to 7 p.m.  For more information, click the link below. Illuminate Live   Poetry on the Bay at India Basin Shoreline Park on March 23 Join community and India Basin Waterfront Park project partners for their Poetry on the Bay event on Saturday, March 23 from 2 to 6 p.m. at India Basin Shoreline Park (Hunters Point Boulevard and Hawes Street). It will feature spoken word performances by local artists, as well as arts and crafts provided by Honey Art Studio, free food provided by Rome’s Kitchen, and more. Come out for an evening of magic and unity! For more information, click the link below. This event is a partnership made possible through the India Basin Waterfront Park Equitable Development Plan. It addresses strategies outlined in the plan's Arts, Culture and Identity; Workforce and Business Development; and Healthy Communities and Ecology areas of focus. Poetry on the Bay   Tool Care Workshop at Clipper Terrace Community Garden on March 23 Join our Urban Agriculture team on Saturday, March 23 for its tool care workshop at Clipper Terrace Community Garden (855 Clipper Terrace) beginning at 2 p.m. Staff will teach participants how to care for their garden tools to help ensure their effectiveness and longevity. Participants are invited to bring their own hand tools (no power tools) from home to perform maintenance. Note that rain will postpone this event to Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. For more information, email communitygardens at sfgov.org.   Union Square in Bloom Passport Debut Event on March 23 Join the Union Square Foundation and Amazon for the debut of its Union Square in Bloom passport on Saturday, March 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. The passports are guides for visitors to explore the many floral installations across the district. It will be unveiled both in physical and digital formats. In addition, the event will feature a free live Vinyl DJ-Set, the debut of specialty floral cocktails from Miller & Lux Provisions, gourmet bites, and more. The event is in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Community Challenge Grants. Union Square in Bloom commemorates the floral legacy of Union Square while encouraging residents, workers, and visitors to rediscover and patronize the vibrant, full-circle offerings of hotels, restaurants, retail establishments, theater, fashion, cuisine, nightlife, and beyond. For more information, click the link below. Union Square in Bloom   Cesar Chavez Day Celebration at Glen Park Rec Center on March 26 Ahead of Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, join the Community Living Campaign and Rec and Park for a celebration of this pioneering labor leader and civil rights activist. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 26 from noon to 1 p.m. at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street). It will feature a talk about Chavez by journalist Emil Guillermo, as well as a taste of a Mexican vegetarian dish. For more information, contact the recreation center at (415) 239-4007.   Garden Resource Day in McLaren Park on April 6 Join us for garden resource days in 2024. The second of the year will take place on Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be free compost, mulch, plant starts and seeds, as well as a tool care station. Compost will be limited to five 5-gallon buckets per household– bring your own buckets. Additionally, University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be on site to answer your gardening questions! These events will take place at the overflow parking lot at Gleneagles Golf Course (2100 Sunnydale Avenue), adjacent to the McLaren Bike Park. A waiting line will form on the north side of the street. Please approach from east to take a right turn into the parking lot. For more information, visit our Urban Agriculture page at the link below.  Urban Agriculture   DNS Sound Logic Show at UN Plaza on April 7 Come out to UN Plaza (1140 Market Street) on Sunday, April 7 for the DNS Sound Logic show from 2 to 6 p.m. Hear a diverse set of music genres rotating every half hour and spun by DJ Christ One. You can also check out a number of activities at the Civic Center plazas, including chess lessons, fitness classes, skateboarding, and the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market. For more information, click the link below. DNS Sound Logic   Spring Arrow Classic at the Golden Gate Park Archery Range on April 13 Join us for our spring arrow classic archery tournament in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the archery range (902 47th Avenue). There are youth and adult divisions, which include Olympic Recurve, Barebow Recurve, Traditional Longbow, Compound and more. Participants must bring their own equipment. For accommodations, please contact us at rpdaccess at sfgov.org or (415) 831-6834. Making your request at least 72 hours before the event will help ensure availability. For more information and to register, click the link below. Additional questions? Email joe.arnaldo at sfgov.org. Spring Arrow Classic   Programming   "Bodies of Work" Exhibit at Harvey Milk Photo Center Through April 20 Check out the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) and its "Bodies of Work" exhibit. It is curated by Katinka Herbert and examines the commodification of athletic bodies through a compelling dialogue between two projects centered on Mexican wrestlers and Cuban dancers and athletes. It serves as a poignant exploration of precarious labor, freezing lives that typically unfold through movement within the stillness of photographic frames. The exhibit is on display at the center through Saturday, April 20. For more information on the exhibit and facility hours, click the link below. Bodies of Work   Bean Sprout Family Days at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Join the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue) for Bean Sprout Family Days on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Help start seeds and explore all of the growth that happened in the garden over winter. Grab some tools at the garden's welcome station or bring your own to dig, water, pick, build and explore. Heavy rain will cancel programs. All programs are free of charge with admission and no preregistration is required. For more information, click the link below. Bean Sprout Family Days   Chess Club Thursdays in Glen Park Join the San Francisco Public Library and Rec and Park for chess club Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Sessions take place at the Glen Park Branch Library (2835 Diamond Street) on the first, third and fifth Thursdays of the month, while sessions on the second and fourth Thursdays take place at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street). These sessions are for players of all skill levels including kids (6 and older), teens and adults. Improve your memory, concentration and logical thinking skills through this time-honored game! For more information, contact the recreation center at (415) 239-4007.   McLaren Park Ropes Course Adventures on Thursdays Check out the McLaren Park Ropes Course on Thursdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. starting on March 21. Located among the trees on the corner of Mansell Street and Visitation Avenue, experience a unique outdoor activity that encourages teamwork and trust among friends and family. The course consists of low and high elements, with helmets and harnesses provided. For more information and to sign up for a session, click the link below. McLaren Park Ropes Course   Open Rock Climbing Hours at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center Swing by Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) for open climbing hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Same day registration opens at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. on Saturdays. Register at the link below. Additional questions? Call the recreation center at (415) 239-4007. Open Rock Climbing Hours   Activity and Class Schedule for Civic Center Plazas Check out all of the amazing drop-in activities and scheduled classes available at the newly renovated UN Plaza and surrounding Civic Center area. From the Heart of the City Farmers' Market at Fulton Plaza to exercise classes at UN Plaza's new fitness court, we have something for everyone to get out and play in San Francisco's core. See the workout class schedule from Rae Studios above, as well as the full amenity list and schedule at the link below. Civic Center Plazas   Drop-In Wheelchair Basketball at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center Glen Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) is hosting a free drop-in wheelchair basketball session every Saturday from 9 to 12:30 p.m. 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! Additional questions? Contact the recreation center at (415) 239-4007.   Rec & Parkour Program Moving to Moscone Rec Center, Starts March 23 Rec and Parkour is moving to Moscone Recreation Center (1800 Chestnut Street) for its spring session. Parkour is a movement based class for all to learn how to move efficiently over obstacles. It teaches basic fundamentals, with skills learned translating to other sports and activities. These hour long classes begin on Saturday, March 23 and are split into groups for ages 6 to 8, 9 to 13, and 18 and older. For more information and to sign up, click the link below.   Additional questions? Contact Don Franklin by email at don.franklin at sfgov.org. Rec and Parkour   Mobile Rec at Balboa Park Pool on March 23 Mobile Rec comes to the Balboa Park (51 Havelock Street) pool area on Saturday, March 23 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: Mat Yoga on March 24 Join the Friends of Great Highway Park for its Sundays at the Beach programming. These free activities from Chair Yoga to live music, will be hosted four times a month. The next program will be Mat Yoga on Sunday, March 24, at Judah Street and the Great Highway at noon. For more information, click the link below. Great Highway Park   Movie Night at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center on March 26 Join our staff at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) for classic movie nights! The next one will take place on Tuesday, March 26, beginning at 6 p.m. and will feature the 1940 film "His Girl Friday." Come out to meet your neighbors and to enjoy these vintage films. For more information, contact the recreation center at (415) 239-4007.   Junior Giants Registration Begins April 1, Volunteer Today Registration for Junior Giants will open on Monday, April 1. This free, non-competitive baseball and softball summer league is for ages 5 to 13 and features lessons on integrity, confidence, teamwork, leadership, and more. The league will begin on Monday, June 12. For more information and to register on April 1, click the link below. For those interested in volunteering for this league, see the details above and email sfrpd.jrgiants at sfgov.org for instructions on registering early. Volunteers will receive priority player registration. Pre-registration for volunteers is currently open and will close on Wednesday, March 27. Jr. Giants   Tending to a Kitchen Garden Volunteer Opportunity on April 6 Teens are invited to join the Gardens of Golden Gate Park for hands-on gardening projects this spring. Volunteer projects will take place at the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue) in the Children's Garden to help steward this local treasure. Join garden staff for its next project, Tending to a Kitchen Garden, on Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information and to register, click the link below. Botanical Garden Volunteer Opportunities   TPC Harding Park's PGA Junior Camp from April 8 to 12 TPC Harding Park (99 Harding Road) is offering a Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) Junior Camp for spring break from April 8 to 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. The action-packed camp includes hands-on instruction led by certified PGA professionals and signature PGA camp curriculum. These camps are designed to inspire new golfers and further the development of those playing at a beginner to intermediate level. For more information and to sign up, click the link below. PGA Junior Camp   The Kids' Games at Kezar Stadium on May 5 Registration is open for our Annual Kids' Games at Kezar Stadium (670 Kezar Drive) on Sunday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will be a free Olympic-style track meet for kids ages 5 to 14. The meet will feature the 50-meter dash, 100-meter dash and long jump. For details and to register, click the link below. Kids' Games   Frisco Fridays Come to India Basin Shoreline Park on March 29 Made in the City, Family Equity Partners and the India Basin Waterfront Park project partners are proud to bring Frisco Fridays to India Basin Shoreline Park (Hunters Point Boulevard and Hawes Street) to continue this event series in 2024. Join us for the first of the year on Friday, March 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the park. Our Video of the Week comes from the organizers and highlights what this event series is about and what it will be offering. Come out for a fun-filled evening of music, food, games, children activities, local vendors, community vibes and plenty of green space to enjoy. This event series and small business market is a partnership made possible through the India Basin Waterfront Park Equitable Development Plan. It addresses strategies outlined in the plan's Arts, Culture and Identity; Workforce and Business Development; and Healthy Communities and Ecology areas of focuses. For more information, click the link below. Frisco Fridays   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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