Following January’s temporary closure of a parking lot shared by the Exploratorium and the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco hoped to construct 23 new parking spots on a triangular plot of land at Palace Drive and Lyon Street. But neighbors of the 9,000-square-foot space were protective of the once-wooded lot.
Demanding that The City keep the land as is, they showed up to public meetings and replanted trees where pavement was about to go down. Read More
The 49ers may wrap up their decade-old tiff with The City over poor conditions at the run-down Candlestick Park with a settlement proposed by former Mayor Gavin Newsom just before he left office.
The agreement could satisfy both team officials — because it allows them to leave Candlestick earlier than under the current lease agreement — and The City — because it would prevent the 49ers from pursuing a $60 million claim for repairs. Read More
A community garden that hosts a free organic produce giveaway every Sunday wants to expand its operation with an urban orchard of fruit trees, but it’s on park property.The 500-foot expansion would fence and cover an area in Parque Ninos Unidos at 23rd and Treat streets that was supposed to be used for landscape after the park’s opening in 2003.However, the lawn was never landscaped and park officials say it is underutilized. Read More
San Francisco park patrons are perpetually concerned about inoperable or unsanitary restrooms. So it should surprise no one that a recent survey of 1,443 residents is recommending that city parks officials prioritize bathroom maintenance. A summary of that Neighborhood Parks Council survey, which will be presented to the Recreation and Park Commission today, reveals that more than 40 percent of those people who answered questions about park bathrooms have, well, issues. Read More
Following the banishment of a proposed Dolores Park coffee stand, neighborhood residents are now causing a kerfuffle about a new Mexican-food trailer set to open soon. Read More
Any time is a good time for parks General Manager Phil Ginsburg to talk about how to raise more money for the Recreation and Park Department. However, if you’re looking for a little more structure, Rec and Park has some meetings coming up to talk about how staff plans to reduce the general fund by $6.8 million by Feb. 22. Read More
An agreement that would keep the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park for another four seasons was approved by the Recreation and Park Commission on Thursday evening.
The agreement first announced in December would amend the lease the team to allow the team to stay through 2015, according to Rec and Park officials. It also provides rent credits on deferred maintenance and safety at the stadium. Read More
My Nonsense File has been pretty empty since the kids’ meal toy ban, so I have been wondering what the militantly hypersensitive types have been up to. Something came across my desk that is so perfect in its absurdity that I cannot believe it is true. I am both sad and giddy to report this is real. Read More
One day after The San Francisco Examiner reported that the Recreation and Park Department had disapproved of the goodwill efforts made by two people to cover graffiti in their neighborhood park, city officials met with the Excelsior residents to work out a compromise. Read More
Marina Green’s pristine views of San Francisco Bay could be blocked by a 300-foot concrete breakwater because a subtler alternative is $2 million more expensive.The floating breakwater is supposed to prevent waves from slamming into the docks and boats at the Marina West Harbor, which neighbors Fort Mason. It is part of an $18.75 million project to reconstruct all the dilapidated timber at a harbor that has not been renovated since 1963. Read More
