eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- February 5, 2025

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Email from SF Recreation and Parks Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements Dogpatch Neighbors Rejoice as City Unveils Esprit Park Renovations Rec and Park, along with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and the Dogpatch community, today unveiled renovations completed at Esprit Park, marking the park’s first major makeover in its 43-year history. The renovation project aimed to modernize the 2-acre park to meet the demand of the growing neighborhood, while preserving the park’s original open and natural atmosphere. The new design consists of two spacious north and south meadows. The north meadow serves as a new off-leash dog play area, providing room for canines to roam freely, while the south meadow provides a sprawling dog-free lawn, allowing for people to stay active. Service and support animals are exempt. An accessible concrete path rings around and bisects both meadows, making it easier to stroll, walk and run through the park. Picnic areas with new seating and tables adorn each of the park’s four corners. Additionally, new trees and plantings have been added throughout the space for a lush atmosphere, while more seating areas provide places for respite and observing nature. The park’s existing adult exercise stations have been replaced and modernized, and the addition of a fifth station allows more people to get fit. City leaders and Dogpatch residents celebrated the reopening today, which included activities for kids, refreshments, and the unveiling of a steel plaque installed on a concrete seat wall at 19th and Minnesota streets, honoring the park’s donors and supporters. The $8.5 million renovation was made possible through a partnership with Rec and Park, UCSF, and the Dogpatch and NW Potrero Hill Green Benefit District. For more information, click the link below. Esprit Park Reopens   National Girls and Women in Sports Day Today, February 5, 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 from Rec and Park and community partners, including: In celebration of NBA All-Star, the Jr. WNBA, Golden State Valkyries, Women's Coaching Alliance, and Girls Leadership will host a coaching workshop and professional development networking event for girls and women ages 15 and up on Sunday, February 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Moscone Center South (747 Howard Street). Register at this link. Grassroots Baseball will host a special screening of its new documentary "See Her Be Her" at the Dolby Cinema (1275 Market Street) on February 22 at 2 p.m. The feature-length film is about women’s baseball around the globe and follows the lives of seven stars who are at the pinnacle of their game. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and book signing with a panel of women baseball experts, including USA Baseball Women’s National Team Coach and San Francisco Bay Sox co-founder Alex Oglesby. Purchase tickets at this link. Rec and Park's Girls Softball League will start on Tuesday, February 25. Divisions will be split into ages 10 and under and 14 and under, with one practice a week and games to be held on Saturdays at Rossi Playground (600 Arguello Boulevard). Register at this link.  The Mission Recreation Center (MRC) Rebels will host its girls AAU basketball tryouts on February 26, 28 and March 4 for grades 4-8, with high school tryouts on March 6 and 8. All tryouts take place at Mission Recreation Center (2450 Harrison Street) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Register at this link. Learn more about Rec and Park's girls sports programs and offerings at the link below. Girls Sports Programs   New Programming at Union Square through April 30 Union Square Plaza is your 2025 destination for fun, free outdoor programming. Come out to the park Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a kids zone, giant games, recess cart, and reading and chess pavilion or break a sweat, listen to music or discover a new hobby. This week we have live music, chess and juggling lessons, a Lunar New Year celebration, beading and more! To view the programming schedule at the Square, click the link below. This free programming is made possible through a grant from the Office of Mayor Daniel Lurie and San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Biederman Redevelopment Ventures. It will run through Wednesday, April 30. Union Square Programming   Peak Bloom Begins for Magnificent Magnolias at the SF Botanical Garden The next two weeks will be the best time to enjoy the Magnificent Magnolia peak bloom in the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue). Experience one of the most significant conservation collections of Magnolias in the United States. Admire the sights and scents of 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. Admission to the Botanical Garden is free for San Francisco residents, veterans, Museums for All participants, and gardens members. For more information, click the link below. Magnificent Magnolias   India Basin Food Pavilion Schedule for February Join En2action for its Pop-Up Series at the India Basin Waterfront Park Food Pavilion (900 Innes Avenue) in February! Savor Her Flavors will take over the weekends, serving up mouthwatering soul food on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through February 23. Chef Asia Harris specializes in classics like fried chicken, Cajun pasta, and dirty rice, blending traditional family recipes with her own unique flair. Her passion for cooking was ignited in her grandmother’s kitchen, and she continues to bring those rich flavors to the table. On Mondays, through February 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be an assortment of drinks and pastries from Ujamaa Kitchen to start your week right. Learn more about what's going on at India Basin Waterfront Park at the link below. India Basin Waterfront Park   Jackson Playground Hoops Court Mural Unveiling on February 14 Come out to Jackson Playground (17th and Arkansas streets) for the unveiling of a temporary art mural on the outdoor basketball court on Friday, February 14 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Rec and Park is working with artist Victor Solomon and the Courtside Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to restoring and elevating basketball courts with community, creativity and opportunity. The mural on the surface of the court will celebrate our city’s love of basketball as San Francisco gets ready to host the NBA All-Star game at nearby Chase Center. The mural is a temporary feature, as Jackson Playground is scheduled for a complete renovation beginning in 2027. For more information about the project, email recparkpartnerships at sfgov.org or click the link below. Jackson Playground Mural   Back-to-Back Events to Celebrate UN Plaza Upgrades February 14 & 15 UN Skate Plaza is currently receiving upgrades, with the expanded plaza set to debut on Friday, February 14. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and skateboarding activities beginning at 12:30 p.m. The expansion builds on the continued success of the street skating area, which opened in 2023 as part of Rec and Park’s $2 million UN Plaza revitalization effort. The following day on February 15, grab your board for a skating event hosted by Converse, The Skatepark Project, and Skate Like a Girl from noon to 3 p.m. It will bring together youth from across the Bay Area for a day of skateboarding, featuring giveaways, trick competitions, and live demos by the Converse CONS skate team—all aimed at inspiring the next generation of skaters in San Francisco.  For more information about the project, click the link below. UN Skate Plaza Upgrades   Crocker Amazon Baseball & Softball Field Project Meeting February 20 Join Rec and Park to discuss the renovation of the baseball and softball fields at Crocker Amazon Playground on Thursday, February 20 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Crocker Amazon clubhouse (799 Moscow Street). The San Francisco Giants approached Rec and Park with a proposal to partner to install six baseball and softball fields with new, state-of the-art diamonds and associated amenities. These improvements will benefit youth, high school and adult baseball and softball programs. The project will reorient and renovate the existing fields, upgrade pathway lighting, expand the parking lot, install batting cages, create a new dog play area, add a free-standing restroom, and more. For additional details about the project, click the link below. Crocker Amazon Field Renovation   Summer Resource Fair at the County Fair Building on February 22 Join Rec and Park, the San Francisco Public Library, and the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF) for our Summer Resource Fair! The citywide event takes place on Saturday, February 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue). Kick-start your family's summer planning at this event, featuring 100 summer camps, classes, programs, and services for children in grades K-8. For more information, click the link below. Summer Resource Fair   Let'sPlaySF! Initiative Survey Open through February 28 The Let’sPlaySF! Initiative, a partnership between Rec and Park and the San Francisco Parks Alliance to transform 13 of San Francisco’s most timeworn playgrounds into dynamic hubs for creativity and family life, is nearing its goal. The initiative, funded by the 2012 Park Bond, San Francisco Parks Alliance, and philanthropic partners, has renovated 11 playgrounds, with two more transformations on the way. The renovated playgrounds have already become cherished community spaces. Please take this survey to share your feedback on how Let’sPlaySF! playgrounds have impacted your community. The deadline for feedback is Friday, February 28. For more information, click the link below. Let’sPlaySF! Initiative Survey   Upcoming Events Black History Month: Gaspar Yanga Presentation on February 7 Rec and Park, in collaboration with the San Francisco Community Living Campaign, is hosting historian Olivia Franco for a presentation on Gaspar Yanga in honor of Black History Month. The event will take place at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) on Friday, February 7, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Yanga was an escaped African slave who founded a colony with other runaway African slaves in what is today Veracruz, Mexico. He successfully fended off Spanish colonizers and eventually negotiated a peace agreement, which led to the recognition of the settlement as a free community, making it one of the first free African towns in the Americas. There will be refreshments and music at this free all-ages event. For more information, contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.   YPTMTC's "Once Upon a Mattress" Closing Weekend Starts February 7 Join Young People's Teen Musical Theatre Company (YPTMTC) for its production of "Once Upon a Mattress." This production celebrates YPTMTC's 40th Anniversary by reviving this classic—the first musical the company performed in 1985. In a kingdom where no one can marry until Prince Dauntless finds a bride, the quirky swamp princess Winnifred faces the Queen's impossible Sensitivity Test, hoping to secure her prince and help another couple reach the altar. This lively retelling of The Princess and the Pea is filled with humor, romance, and catchy songs. The show runs at the Randall Museum (199 Museum Way), with its closing weekend taking place from February 7 to 9, with Friday and Saturday shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday shows beginning at 2 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link below. Once Upon a Mattress   Chinese New Year Basketball Jamboree on February 8 As we approach the Lunar New Year, save the date for the annual Basketball Jamboree at Betty Ann Ong Recreation Center on Saturday, February 8. A Chinese New Year tradition in San Francisco and part of the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, come out to the court to see which players from the community slither through screens to get buckets in the Year of the Snake! For more information, click the link below. Chinese New Year Festival   Birding for Families & Children at Blue Heron Lake on February 8 San Francisco Nature Education (SFNE) is hosting two bird walk field trips on Saturday, February 8 from 10 a.m. to noon at Blue Heron Lake in Golden Gate Park. SFNE volunteers will lead two separate walks for children ages 4 to 12 and for beginner birders age 13 and up. Youth must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information and to register for this field trip, click the link below. Birding for Families   Citywide Job Fair in Golden Gate Park on February 8 Looking for a new job? Rec and Park, along with other government agencies and community organizations are hosting a job fair on Saturday, February 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue). Swing by and find the right job for you! For more information, email rpd_recruitment at sfgov.org or click the link below to see our current job openings. Rec & Park Jobs   Community Social Doubles at Goldman Tennis Center on February 9 San Francisco tennis players, advanced beginners through intermediate, are invited to play in the Tennis Coalition of San Francisco's 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 Sunday, February 9 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Goldman Tennis Center (Nancy Pelosi and Bowling Green drives), click the link below. Community Social Doubles   Programming and Regular Series Activity & Class Schedule for Civic Center Plazas Check out all of the amazing drop-in activities and scheduled classes available at the reimagined UN Plaza and surrounding Civic Center area. From the Heart of the City Farmers' Market at Fulton Plaza to free skateboarding lessons at UN Plaza, we have something for everyone to get out and play in San Francisco's core. See the workout class schedule from Rae Studios at UN Plaza, as well as the full amenity list and schedule at the link below. Civic Center Plazas   "Oceano" Exhibit at the Harvey Milk Photo Center through March 1 The Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) is currently hosting "Oceano - for Seven Generations" by Lana Z Caplan, which explores the history of the Oceano Dunes and examines the lives of its successive inhabitants and the evolution of photographic history and convention. Through co-constructed, performative portraits, Caplan contrasts the historical occupants—including the Indigenous yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini (ytt) Northern Chumash Tribe, Cecil B. DeMille’s 1923 ancient Egyptian film set, the Modernists, and a colony of Depression-era artist and mystic squatters—with the present-day all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding community, highlighting the ongoing public health crisis affecting neighboring areas. The exhibit will run through Saturday, March 1. A conversation with the artist and book signing will also occur at the center on Saturday, February 22 at 2 p.m. For more information, click the link below. HMCA: Oceano   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 Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.     Mobile Rec at Balboa Skate Park on February 8 Mobile Rec comes to Balboa Skate Park (Ocean and San Jose avenues) on Saturday, February 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy free BMX biking, skateboarding and more. Equipment will be provided. For more information, click the link below. Mobile Rec   Drop-In Wheelchair Basketball at Glen Park Recreation Center Glen Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) is hosting a free drop-in wheelchair basketball session every Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. in partnership with BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation. 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 for participants at least 5 feet tall. Let's get hooping! Additional questions? Contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.   Sundays at the Beach on the Great Highway: Live Music on February 9 Join the Friends of Ocean Beach Park for its Sundays at the Beach programming. These free activities, from chair yoga to tai chi, will be hosted four times a month. The next program will be live music with Chinese Spy Balloon on Sunday, February 9, from noon to 2 p.m. on the Great Highway at Judah Street. For more information, click the link below. Live Music   Swing into Stories in San Francisco Parks The San Francisco Public Library's (SFPL) YouthMobile is coming to parks around the city. Movement and play are key to fostering literacy and a love of reading and the SFPL is bringing stories and song to San Francisco's parks through its Swing into Stories program. It takes place at a different park each Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to noon (Storytime begins at 10:30 a.m.) with the next at Koret Playground (Kezar and Martin Luther King Jr. drives) in Golden Gate Park by the carousel on December 10. See the monthly schedule here: 1st Tuesday of the month Garfield Playground (Treat and 26th streets) 2nd Tuesday of the month Koret Playground in Golden Gate Park (by the carousel) 3rd Tuesday of the month Hilltop Playground (Newcomb Avenue and Whitney Young Circle) 4th Tuesday of the month Redwood Grove Playground in McLaren Park (200 John F. Shelly Drive) Join us for a high-energy story time in our beautiful outdoors!  The YouthMobile offers a diverse selection of children’s library materials available for checkout with an SFPL library card. From the city’s only kid-focused bookmobile, staff circulates materials, creates library cards and provides the public with information about library services and programs. For more information and the Swing into Stories schedule, click the link below.  Swing into Stories   Movie Night at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center on February 11 Join our staff at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) for classic movie nights! The next will take place on Tuesday, February 11, beginning at 6 p.m. and will feature the 1938 film "The Duke is Tops." Come meet your neighbors and enjoy these vintage films. For more information, contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.   Video of the Week Girls Sports Extravaganza Introduces New Sports to Youth In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, our Video of the Week comes from our annual Girls Sports Extravaganza took place at the Kezar Sports Complex to close out January. Seventy participants ages 5 to 12, played traditional sports such as track and field, archery and baseball, as well as new sports like parkour and skateboarding. These girls refined their game, picked up new sport skills, and built friendships with other participants. Thank you to everyone who attended! For more information on our girls sports programs, click the link below. Girls Sports Programs     SF Rec and Park Job Openings Get Your SF Rec and Park Swag Here Volunteer with SF Rec and Park   San Francisco Recreation and Parks | sfrecpark.org         SF Recreation and Parks | McLaren Lodge-Golden Gate Park 501 Stanyan Street | San Francisco , CA 94117 US Unsubscribe | Constant Contact Data Notice
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