Blogs

On February 27th, employees from Sports Basement came out to show their love for their home field and give back to the community. If you'd like to participate in their effort to keep the field in great shape, visit www.friendsoffranklinsquare.org/playfield or email Richard Sloan at sloangroup@gmail.com

Joyce Pedersen has been working with NPC over the last several years contributing to the "I Love My Park" section of the monthly newsletter. Joyce's work has always been compelling and engaging, and this month we are recognizing her efforts.

1. What do you love about volunteering with NPC?

I love exploring a different park each month.  Volunteering with SFNPC to cover the “I Love My Park” feature has introduced me to less publicized parks throughout the city.  Each month I meet great San Franciscans who love the parks and city.

2. What was one of your favorite or most memorable submissions?

The park interview in Buena Vista Park featuring two friends hula hooping.  They were cute and  loved hooping while enjoying the views of the city.

3. How do you choose the people you highlight in ILMP?

I look for people doing something  that I’ve not captured before in an interview.  Over the years that has involved;  Frisbee, soccer, tennis, hula hooping, reading, picnicking, walking a dog.

The India Basin Neighborhood Association has crafted a Community Vision for their neighborhood, which includes some interesting ideas about open space. Check out their presentation about this vision here. You can also join the group on a walking tour of the neighborhood. Click here to find out more.

Imagine this. Your child’s playground is clean, safe and beautiful. There are no foreign objects in the sand, the swings don’t have missing chains and you are not afraid to take your children to the park anymore. All children deserve a safe and enjoyable place to play.

NPC’s Playground Initiative works with the community to improve unsafe playgrounds by hosting clean-up days and events. With the help of the Recreation and Park Department and local volunteers, the Playground Initiative surveys all the playgrounds in the city to raise awareness on specific parks in need. The 2010 Report Card will be published this spring.

While certain playgrounds face challenges, Neighborhood Parks Council pulled together and  achieved some stunning successes; through our efforts failing play structures at Balboa, Franklin and Rossi parks have been replaced with Dolores and West Sunset parks soon to follow. Hard work, dedication, critical timing, and donations from supporters like you - NPC was able to respond to unparalleled opportunities. 

More updates from our Executive Director, Meredith Thomas:

1. Linden Alley progress: After nearly 4 years of work to green Linden Alley with support from the Community Challenge Grant Program and Supervisor Mirkarimi, the project is getting close to reality. It is a pilot for the city so there were a number of complicated steps to work through.

Now that the Recreation and Park Commission has approved the Department’s plan for accommodating the 30% reduction ($12.4 million) in support from the City’s General Fund, the lengthy process begins for the Mayor’s Office and Board of Supervisors to build out San Francisco’s Budget. Over the next several months, the City will be working to tackle and immense budget shortfall of more than $450 million, and their choices will affect parks. NPC will be engaging in this process and we will keep you in the loop. 

The good news is that there are a number of innovative solutions proposed by the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) that will deal with the budget shortfall, and could change the way that RPD operates for the better. 

In Memoriam

From the GreenTrustSF Board Chair

Greetings,

Dear Coalition,

Because you love your parks, I urge you to become involved with the Recreation and Park  Department’s budget planning this month. RPD’s budget proposal is due to the Mayor’s office on February 19th and will include a combination of cuts in spending and sources of new revenue. NPC is working with RPD to make sure that the difficult financial choices the Department has to make will be done in a manner that is guided by RPD’s mission to foster the well being of San Franciscans and maintain beautiful parks and open spaces.