Dear Park Lovers,

Thank you for all your support, volunteer hours, and passion about parks over the last year.  With your help, our neighborhood parks continue to improve in quality and safety.  Despite economic challenges that often overshadowed our daily successes, your love of parks helped ensure that our neighborhood open spaces remain a wonderful shared resource.

You threw parties to meet your neighbors, and held puppet shows and concerts for your kids.  You volunteered to pull weeds, raised money to replace your playground or add a new drinking fountain, and 'thought big' about what your park could become with the help of landscape architects.  You even celebrated the grand opening of new recreation centers and playgrounds. Not bad for one year.

With your continued involvement with Neighborhood Parks Council, the Recreation and Park Department, and our City officials, I am certain that 2010 will be even more exciting.  I wish you and your park all the best in the coming year.

--Meredith Thomas, Executive Director  

New Year, Stronger Initiatives – NPC Is Ready For 2010    

Neighborhood Parks Council is ready to keep San Francisco parks a top priority in 2010, but we can't do it without your help!

Click here to read about the exciting programs and initiatives we have planned for the new year, and find out how you can help us continue our important work.

ParkScan: ParkScan Annual Report Coming Soon

Don’t miss the 2009 ParkScan Annual Report due out later this month. The report highlights ParkScan data trends both citywide and by district. NPC distributes the report to RPD administrators and elected officials so that they can have the most current data for parks in San Francisco. The report will also be available online at ParkScan.org/reports. 

Visit ParkScan.org to submit your park maintenance issue, staff compliment, or general park comment. As always, thanks for being the extra eyes for your park!

Playfields Stewardship Initiative

Sports Basement Hosts Soccer Competition at Franklin Square

The generous folks from Sports Basement  partnered with RPD, the City Fields Foundation and NPC to host a youth soccer skills competition at Franklin Square on December 5th.  Neighborhood youth came out to practice their skills, and everyone went home with a prize in the end.  Click here to find out how you can get involved with future events at Franklin Square.

Playground Initiative: Midtown Terrace Playground Reopens

After months of renovations, Midtown Terrace Playground opened on December 5th.  The playground is located just north of Laguna Honda Hospital at Clarendon and Olympia.  Congratulations to RPD for improving yet another playground!

City Controller Issues Annual Park Report; 85% Get Grade 'A' or 'B'

According to the City Controller's report released in December, 84.8% of parks in SF scored an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade.  The report is based on evaluations conducted by Controller’s office staff, as well as RPD managers and supervisors.  Evaluators use park maintenance standards as a guide to grade lawns, trees, playgrounds, benches and tables, and other park features.  Click here to read the full report.

NPC values the detailed evaluation of our parks, because it allows us to advocate resources where they are needed most.  The report found that the lowest scoring parks were in District 10.  We look forward to partnering with the neighborhoods and RPD to address inequities. 
 

Help Envision a New SOMA Park at Jan. 5th Meeting

A new park is being developed on the former CalTrans lot at Harrison and Fremont Streets, as part of the Rincon Hill Plan.  The park will provide nearly 24,000 square feet of open space and recreation amenities for this green-deficient, downtown neighborhood, as thousands of new residents move into new condos and former commercial and office buildings.  Attend the 2nd public meeting (in a series of 5) on January 5th and bring your good ideas.  More information here.

Open Space Planning Meeting for A New Mission Park: January 23rd

The SF Planning Department needs your help to design a proposed neighborhood park in the northeast Mission (17th and Folsom.)  Join your neighbors for a planning meeting at 11 AM on January 23rd at Marshall Elementary School (1575 15th Street, at Capp).  Click here for a meeting flier and more info.  

Friends of Helen Wills Host Open House/Community Meeting

Russian Hill, Nob Hill and Polk Gulch community members attended a meeting at Helen Wills Park on December 18th to discuss the future of programs at the site, and possible uses of the park and its clubhouse.  Click here to read more about the event. 

(Photo and article by JT Barnhart.)

Historic Sunnyside Conservatory Now Open

After two years of hard work and dedication, the century-old Sunnyside Conservatory is once again open for your enjoyment.  A grand reopening celebration was held December 5th, officially marking the beginning of a renewed relationship between the Conservatory, its neighbors, and the City of San Francisco. 

Click here for a brief history of the Conservatory.