Reminder: eNews from SF Recreation and Parks- March 26, 2025

[SF Recreation and Parks]

Email from SF Recreation and Parks Updates, news and events in San Francisco parks   Highlights, News & Announcements Buchanan Street Mall Groundbreaking on March 27 Join us for the groundbreaking of the Buchanan Street Mall Project on Thursday, March 27 beginning at 9:45 a.m. Buchanan Street Mall is a pedestrian walkway and city park that runs through a five-block section of the Western Addition, from Eddy Street to Grove Street. Its renovation, planned with neighbors and local community organizations, will transform the park into a safe, vibrant hub for recreation, arts, culture, and intergenerational connection. The event will have brief remarks followed by a shovel ceremony, which will take place on Buchanan Street and Golden Gate Avenue near the Rosa Parks Senior Center. For more information, click the link below. Buchanan Street Mall Project   Take Great Highway Naming Survey, Open through April 2 Thank you everyone for helping to name San Francisco’s next great park! We received more than 4,200 name submissions through a survey held from March 1 to 16. We grouped these names into categories (history, nature and geography, iconic placemaking), and then distilled the top building blocks and themes from each category. We presented these themes at a community meeting on March 18, and received more input through surveys. The final names in our second survey, which is open through April 2, were drawn from the community meeting and original name submissions. Take the new survey and select up to three of your favorite names at this link. For more information, click the link below. Great Highway Project   Great Highway Nature Exploration Area Completed through Community We're excited to share that a Nature Exploration Area has been installed as part of the effort to convert the Great Highway into a park. The new park feature has a challenging logwork course made from downed trees from the recent storms, as well as two forest huts to inspire curiosity and spark imagination. The project was made possible by the support of more than 35 community volunteers coordinated by the Friends of Ocean Beach and led by San Francisco Landscaping. Be sure to get out and play here soon!   Spring Fling Community Celebration at Crocker Amazon Park on April 19 Rec and Park's seasonal party is coming to Crocker Amazon Park (799 Moscow Street) on Saturday, April 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join us for Spring Fling, which will include live entertainment, carnival rides and games, egg hunts, arts and crafts and more. Food trucks will be available when you work up an appetite. Swing by for free springtime fun for the entire family! There will be free bike valet parking and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided at this event. 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, click the link below. Spring Fling   2nd Annual Volo Sports Event Returns to Golden Gate Park on April 20 For the second consecutive year, Volo Sports will hold their annual Peace, Love and Volo Field Day on Sunday, April 20 in Robin Williams Meadow and Hippie Hill featuring volleyball and kickball tournaments. The Peace, Love and Volo Field Day will bring together sports enthusiasts from all over the Bay Area to celebrate the spirit of friendly competition, outdoor activity, and community engagement. In addition to volleyball and kickball tournaments and open play, the event will also feature activities such as spikeball and cornhole, food trucks, giveaways, and more. Participants are encouraged to wear their best sixties-themed costumes and tie-dye. During the event, Rec and Park will ensure people visiting the area will have convenient restroom access by providing extra porta-potties near Robin Williams Meadow. Park Rangers will also be on hand to ensure safety. The sports event’s debut in 2024 marked a shift from the traditional cannabis culture celebration that previously took place in the park on that day. Four-twenty festival organizers canceled last year’s event due to economic challenges within the cannabis industry that made sponsorships hard to secure, as well as City budget cuts that impacted Rec and Park's ability to cover staffing for the event. For those looking to celebrate 4/20, SF Space Walk, a weeklong festival formerly called SF Weed Week, takes place from April 13 to 20 and will feature a lineup of events throughout the city showcasing local cannabis culture. For more information, click the link below. Volo Sports Event on 4/20   People of the Parks: Tulip Day in Union Square In honor of International Women’s Day, this past weekend Union Square hosted its beloved annual Tulip Day, in which 80,000 colorful tulips were on display throughout the square. Best friends Robin and Camille were among thousands of attendees. After a BART trip across the bay and enduring a line that stretched around two city blocks, the pair chose their favorites of the bunch to build their free bouquets—though one or two flowers might get generously passed off to Camille’s mom. "Everybody loves free tulips! I didn't care about the wait,” Robin said. Tulip Day is part of Union Square in Bloom, a yearly initiative happening from March through September that celebrates the district’s floral legacy with vibrant events and stunning floral displays adorning nearby businesses. To find out what events are coming up next, click the link below. Union Square in Bloom   Rolling Fog Wheelchair Hoopers Set to Compete in First Tourney March Madness abounds! Rec and Park's Rolling Fog wheelchair basketball team is set to compete in its first tournament this weekend, March 29 to30, in Berkeley. The team, made up of a small but mighty group of seven players, practices at Glen Park Recreation Center, its temporary home while Gene Friend Recreation Center is being renovated. The team is led by player-coach Jorge Macias, who also runs Rec and Park's adapted cycling program. Jorge is an all-around fitness enthusiast. He first became interested in fitness as a teenager wanting to be healthier. Then, his passion for fitness deepened after he sustained a T7 level spinal cord injury when he was 17. Since his injury, Jorge has handcycled, played wheelchair basketball, and is a competitive rock climber. Learn more about his life and work at the link below. Interested in getting involved with the team? Email jorge.macias at sfgov.org. Jorge Macias Profile   Sports Courts at Crocker Amazon Playground Begin Renovation The sports courts at Crocker Amazon Playground have begun a renovation that will repair, resurface and repaint the tennis and multi-use sport court area to accommodate the new mini-soccer pitch. The first phase will repair the courts and the second will paint them. Nearby tennis courts include McLaren Park (1398 Mansell Street), Balboa Park (San Jose Avenue and Sgt. John V. Young Lane), and Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center (650 Capitol Avenue). Stay up to date at the park's website at the link below. Crocker Amazon Playground   Floor Refinishing Projects Recently Completed at Rec Facilities With some wet weather coming up, we're ensuring our recreation facilities are in peak condition for you to enjoy indoor activities! We've recently completed the biennial floor refinishing at Upper Noe and Richmond recreation centers, as well as the Mission Art Studio dance floor, to elevate your play experience. Explore our complete list of facilities and discover a variety of spaces to engage in physical activities and leisure at the link below. Recreation Facilities   South Sunset Clubhouse Project to Begin by End of the Month We are excited to share that the renovation of South Sunset Clubhouse is slated to begin by the end of this month. The project, which will run through early 2026, will reconfigure the 2,060 square-foot facility’s floor plan to create a more open layout. It will renovate the multi-purpose room, modernize the commercial kitchen, upgrade the two existing restrooms, create an additional restroom and extra storage space, and more. Note that while the building is closed for construction, we are providing temporary toilet facilities nearby. For more information, click the link below. South Sunset Clubhouse Project   Now Hiring: LoveDolores Public Outreach Ambassadors 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 at parks including Mission Dolores Park. 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   Embarcadero Plaza & Sue Bierman Park Renovation Project Survey Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park will soon be revitalized into a vibrant, 5-acre waterfront park in the heart of San Francisco. Through a collaborative public-private partnership with BxP, Downtown SF Partnership, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), along with extensive community engagement, we want to create a design for the park that reflects the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors while supporting downtown’s economic recovery.   Share your thoughts by taking our first design survey, open through March 31, at the link below. Embarcadero & Sue Bierman Survey   Randolph & Bright Mini Park Design Survey Closes April 4 Rec and Park invites your feedback on the planned improvements to Randolph and Bright Mini Park, which will include a nature-forward play space for children, seating areas, upgraded irrigation, improved pathways, new plantings, and enhanced fencing. Help shape the future of this park by taking our second design survey, open through 5 p.m. on Friday, April 4. To take the survey, click the link below. Randolph & Bright Survey   Bernal Heights Recreation Center Community Meeting on April 5 Join Rec and Park and Greening Projects for a community meeting to discuss the renovation of the middle and lower yards at the Bernal Heights Recreation Center (500 Moultrie Street) on Saturday, April 5, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The project aims to regrade and repave the middle and lower yards; provide more green space, seating, and shade; and ensure that current uses like ball play, skateboarding, and bike riding are accommodated. During this community meeting, the final concept plan will be presented, as well as next steps. For more information, click the link below. Greening Projects   Upcoming Events Cesar Chavez Day Celebration at Glen Park Rec Center on March 28 Ahead of Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, join the Community Living Campaign, Department of Disability and Aging Services, and Rec and Park for a celebration of pioneering labor leaders and civil rights activists, César and Helen Chávez. The event will take place on Friday, March 28 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street). It will feature a talk about César and Helen Chávez from longtime leader with United Farm Workers, Richard Ybarra. For more information, contact the recreation center at (415) 239-4007.   Illuminate Live at the Bandshell on March 28, 29, 30 & April 5 Join us for free concerts with Illuminate Live at the Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) in Golden Gate Park. In honor of Women's History Month, March's concert slate features women or women-fronted musical groups. See the upcoming schedule below: March 28 | 4:30-7 p.m. Friday Happy Hour featuring the Marlina Teich Quartet March 29 | 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 4th Annual Kids Festival featuring Charity & the JAMBand, & Teacher Barb & The Musicmakers March 30 | 4:30-7:30 p.m. Reggae Sunday featuring DJ Cilla, DJ Guid8nce, DJ Sep, & Irie Dole April 5 | Noon-4 p.m. 2nd Annual Tribute To The Past featuring Burning Down The House & Radio Radio Golden Gate Bandshell Concerts   Harvey Milk Photo Center Studio Sale on March 29 & April 1 Join the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) for its studio sale on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday, April 1 from 3 to 8:30 p.m. The sale will feature darkroom equipment, framing supplies, photo books, digital and film cameras, and more. For more information, including a preview of what's for sale, click the link below. Studio Sale   Garden Resource Day in McLaren Park on April 5 Join us for our next garden resource day on Saturday, April 5 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, volunteers from the UC Master Gardener Program of San Mateo and San Francisco Counties 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. For more information, click the link below. Urban Agriculture   Respecting Your Garden Weeds Workshop at Alemany Farm on April 6 Join the Friends of Alemany Farm (700 Alemany Boulevard) for a garden weeds workshop on Sunday, April 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the farm. Learn what exactly a weed is and how to identify them in your own garden, as well as how to effectively control weeds in a safe manner. This workshop will be geared towards regional, as well as California weed species. For more information and to register, click the link below. Weeds Workshop   Programming and Regular Series "Salt of the Earth" Exhibit at Harvey Milk Photo Center through April 19 Come out to the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) for its "Salt of the Earth" exhibit, which is on display through Saturday, April 19. Artist Barbara Boissevain is a contemporary visual artist and photographer whose work focuses on the impact of human activity on the environment. "Salt of the Earth" is Boissevain’s ode to the San Francisco Bay, depicting the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, and telling a rare and hopeful story of combatting the effects of human-led climate change. For more information, click the link below. Salt of the Earth   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   Programming at Union Square in 2025 Union Square Plaza (333 Post Street) 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 have live music, salsa dance workouts, chess and juggling lessons, crafts activities including creating your own stamp and printing on a cloth bag and making your own San Francisco-themed comic, and more! 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. For more information and to view the programming schedule at the Square, click the link below. Union Square Programming   Bean Sprouts Family Days at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Come dig, smell, taste, build, and explore with the San Francisco Botanical Garden on Bean Sprouts Family Days presented by Kaiser Permanente. Come out for family fun in the Children’s Garden on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon and the first Saturdays of each month from noon to 4 p.m. Programs are free with admission to the garden with no pre-registration required. For more information, click the link below. Bean Sprouts Family Days   Women's Pickleball Lessons at Moscone Rec Center Come out to Moscone Recreation Center (1800 Chestnut Street) for women's pickleball lessons. Learn the fastest growing sport in the country with beginner lessons for those new to the game, as well as intermediate lessons for those looking to take the next step! Equipment is provided. For more information and to register, click the link below. Women's Pickleball   Shred N' Butter Intro to Skateboarding Classes Begin This Week Join our Shred N' Butter team this spring for its introduction to skateboarding classes for ages 8 to 12, which take place across the city at Fulton Playground (855 27th Avenue), Joe DiMaggio Playground (651 Lombard Street) and Waller Street Skate Park (751 Stanyan Street). Learn the basics of skateboarding including balance, pushing, turning and cruising on low impact ramps and surfaces, and more. These classes will also teach basic skateboard maintenance. For more information and to register, click the link below. Shred N' Butter   Women's Drop-In Basketball at Moscone Rec Center Begins March 27 Lace up the kicks and come out for women's drop-in basketball on Thursdays from March 27 through May 29 at Moscone Recreation Center (1800 Chestnut Street). There will be full court 4-on-4 pickup games for ages 18 and up from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Questions? Contact Moscone Recreation Center at (415) 292-2045.   Upcoming Rec & Park Art Classes & Camps Join the Rec and Park for a number of upcoming art classes and camps! Click the link below for more information and to register: Teen Half Day Camp - Art Intensive beginning March 31 for ages 13 to 18 at the David Ireland House (500 Capp Street) Textiles: Indigo & Natural Dyeing Techniques on April 12 for ages 10 to 18 at Mission Arts Center (745 Treat Avenue) Spring Family Art Workshop: Upcycled Treehouses on April 12 for ages 5 to 10 at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts (50 Scott Street)   Mobile Rec at Potrero del Sol Skate Park on March 29 Mobile Rec comes to Potrero del Sol Skate Park (1369 Potrero Avenue) on Saturday, March 29 at from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy free BMX biking, skateboarding and more. Skateboarding 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.   Junior Giants Registration Begins on April 1 Registration for Junior Giants will open on Tuesday, 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 in mid-June. For more information and to register on April 1, click the link below. Jr. Giants   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 Garfield Playground (Treat and 26th streets) on April 1. 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 Park (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 April 1 Join our staff at Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center (70 Elk Street) for classic movie nights! The next will take place on Tuesday, April 1 beginning at 6 p.m. and will feature the 1938 film "Wives Under Suspicion." Come meet your neighbors and enjoy these vintage films. For more information, contact Glen Park Recreation Center at (415) 239-4007.   McLaren Park Ropes Course Adventures on Saturdays Beginning April 5 Check out the McLaren Park Ropes Course on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting on April 5. 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   Tot Futsal at Moscone Rec Center Begins on April 10 Come out for Tot Futsal classes taking place at a number of recreation centers citywide, including Moscone (1800 Chestnut Street). These classes aim to introduce participants to the fundamentals of soccer in a safe, fun, and positive environment. All classes will be held inside the gymnasium. For more information and to register, click the link below. Tot Futsal   Heron Watch at Blue Heron Lake in Golden Gate Park Starting April 12 San Francisco Nature Education is hosting heron watch events at Blue Heron Lake (50 Blue Heron Lake Drive) in Golden Gate Park throughout the spring nesting season in April and May. They take place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the first on Saturday, April 12. Bring binoculars if you have them. For more information and to register, click the link below. Heron Watch   California Academy of Sciences to Host First Ever Summer Camp For the first time ever, the California Academy of Sciences (55 Music Concourse Drive) is offering fun and exciting week-long summer camps for children ages 9 to 11. Taking place from July 14 through August 8, these weekly camps will feature a different future-focused theme with hands-on, experiential, and play-based activities for children as they reimagine ways to protect, restore, and enhance nature throughout San Francisco. For more information and to sign up, click the link below. Cal Academy Camp   Video of the Week Vandals Again Target Future SF Park, But Excitement Remains Unshaken Even as thousands of people walked, biked, and soaked in the sunshine at San Francisco’s soon-to-be-opened coastal park over the weekend, vandals once again tried—and failed—to dampen the excitement. Our Video of the Week comes from KRON4 and covers the most recent case of vandalism. Spray-painted messages, apparently left overnight, were discovered last Sunday morning scrawled on the former Great Highway and surrounding areas near Noriega Street. San Francisco police and park rangers responded. Rangers have increased their patrols. "Resorting to vandalism is both counterproductive and frankly, ridiculous,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “There are countless constructive ways to engage in conversations about our city’s future, but spray-painting public spaces isn’t one of them. We’re focused on creating something beautiful for everyone, and that work will continue." It is not the first time the future park has been marred by vandals. In the past, vandals tampered with park equipment and business wayfinding signage was sawed through in an attempt to destroy it. Additionally, a mural by local artist Emily Fromm was vandalized, while Fromm and another muralist have both been verbally harassed. Despite the isolated instances of bad behavior, enthusiasm for the park continues to grow. Approximately 4,000 people flock to the area each weekend. The Great Park Naming Contest drew more than 4,200 entries in 16 days and since Thursday, more than 1,700 people have weighed in on a list of finalists. The 2-mile park will officially open April 12 with a community celebration. For more information, click the link below. Great Highway Project     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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.digitalkingdom.org/pipermail/house/attachments/20250328/ad8b1b1e/attachment-0001.htm>