Parks have always been a haven to release stress, relax with your family, recreate, picnic, run or in the most fortunate of situations if you are single, find romance.
In the larger picture, parks are an ideal venue for the community to come together.
Sometimes when thinking about recreation in large cities, visions of concrete, hotels and shopping malls come to mind yet even in a densely populated metropolis like San Francisco wonderful green parks abound.
There too the community can come together to create and enhance.
Were you aware there are film festivals at San Francisco’s Delores Park?
The San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation is happy to educate. At sfntf.squarespace.com they smile, “Films are presented on a giant outdoor screen and attendees are encouraged to picnic before each film. Films are presented in Dolores Park, Washington Square Park and Union Square. Refreshments are available and screenings attract residents from throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. Attendees are encouraged to walk or take transit to all Film Night in the Park events.
Partners in the 2018 Film Night in the Park season include AT&T, MINI, the San Francisco Giants, Real Estate Agent Jim Fisher, MJM Management Group, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, Weekend Sherpa and SF Station.”
That is very inspiring. When a community wants to come together for a positive purpose, so much is possible.
“We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun- together.”… Walt Disney
A community project that has received a lot of attention was connected with San Francisco’s Shoreview Park.
Widely known for their extremely valuable volunteer services, Habitat For Humanity was an invaluable participant in an effort to enhance Shoreview Park.
On February 22, 2018 at habitatgsf.org they invite us in on the festivities. “Last month, we enjoyed a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon for a day of community service in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco.
During this volunteer event, 37 volunteers came out to Shoreview Park to weed, mulch, and beautify the community park.
This volunteer event was particularly special since we were joined by Wells Fargo volunteers, and we received a Wells Fargo neighborhood revitalization grant of $22,440. We'll use this grant to dedicate resources and manpower to Bayview Hunters Point public parks, which are under-resourced and in much need of support. The Habitat partnership with Wells Fargo will make it possible for parks and community gardens to benefit from the concentrated efforts of volunteers, improving access to clean and safe green spaces.
Nationwide, Wells Fargo is providing $300,000 in grants to support 11 Habitat for Humanity communities to implement revitalization projects, including neighborhood beautification and repairs to community common areas. The funding will also support two additional communities with their plans to develop formal strategies for future revitalization projects.
Habitat's Neighborhood Revitalization program aims to stem displacement and preserve homes for future generations. Our program works specifically in the Bayview and East Palo Alto neighborhoods to beautify parks and gardens, renovate community assets, and deliver critical home repairs to improve the health, safety, and overall well-being of the residents in these communities. Learn more about our Neighborhood Revitalization here.”
One of Female Competition International’s (FCI) staff members volunteered for Habitat For Humanity, worked his tail off for a day and felt deeply rewarded by the experience.
They truly are an example of a quality group of volunteers in a spirit of cooperation with the local community who complete inspiring and practical projects for those in need.
The mayor of San Francisco, Ms. London Breed seems to agree and wrote about it.
We enjoyed her perspective and sense that you will too.
November 20, 2018
San Francisco, CA— Mayor London N. Breed today announced that a plan to renovate an overlooked Bayview-Hunters Point park received a $625,108 state grant for environmentally friendly projects.
The renovation of Shoreview Park will include a new children’s play area, a picnic and barbeque grill area with shade trellis, a lawn, outdoor fitness equipment, small plazas, community gardens, strategically placed seating, lighting and an accessible pathway. Two accessible park entrances offer access to Shoreview Apartments tenants and nearby housing complexes, and a direct connection to the Bayview Adult Day Healthcare Center and KIPP College Preparatory Academy, both located on San Francisco Unified School District’s property adjacent to the park. Construction is anticipated to start in the spring of 2019.
“As San Francisco continues to grow, I am committed to making sure that we are creating open spaces and parks that serve all of our communities,” said Mayor Breed. “I know how important it is for kids to have these kinds of places in their neighborhood. This grant will help us transform Shoreview Park into a newly-renovated public space for Bayview-Hunters Point residents.”
The renovation of the .85-acre park at 1 Lillian Street was among 20 infrastructure projects throughout the state to share in $24.7 million in funding through the California Natural Resources Agency’s Urban Greening program. Funded by cap-and-trade revenues, also known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the grants support projects that aim to reduce greenhouse gases by sequestering carbon, decreasing energy consumption and reducing vehicle miles traveled. The projects also convert built environments into green spaces that improve air and water quality.
“We are thrilled to receive the Urban Greening grant for Shoreview Park,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “This funding will enable us to create a space where residents of all ages can gather to build community and enjoy nature.”
The park was constructed by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in 1979 to serve residents of the newly constructed Shoreview Apartments, a subsidized housing complex with 156 housing units.
In the early 2000s, the park fell into disrepair. In 2012, the Redevelopment Agency dissolved. In 2017, the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure transferred Shoreline Park to the Recreation and Park Department with $1.9 million in community development block grant funding to renovate the park. In the past year, the Recreation and Park Department has removed the fence around the play area, cleaned the sand, repaired the irrigation system and constructed new picnic tables.
Neighborhood outreach efforts resulted in a design for renovation that captures the community's desire for a family-friendly park that preserves open green space while offering space for celebrations and recreational opportunities for residents of all ages.
The Natural Resources Agency evaluated 84 applications and recommended funding for 20 projects. Ninety-eight percent of the funding was awarded to projects located within underserved neighborhoods.
“The Shoreview Park Renovation Project meets the goals of the Urban Greening Program by expanding an existing neighborhood park. The project will plant trees to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also providing a disadvantaged community with important amenities that contribute to a vibrant community,” said California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird.
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https://sfmayor.org/article/shoreview-park-renovation-project-receives-urban-greening-grant
https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/park
http://sfntf.squarespace.com/filmnight/
https://www.habitatgsf.org/blog/revitalizing-neighborhoods-with-wells-fargo
