Get Out and Get Dirty: Volunteering in Our Parks
Volunteers are out in force all over town weeding, mulching, planting and beautifying. Last Saturday Rec and Park and DPW welcomed over 1200 volunteers. In addition to planting and beautifying projects at the Bison Paddock and North Lake in Golden Gate Park, volunteers also spruced up parts of Ocean Beach and our street medians. Also this weekend we had volunteers gettin' dirty at the Legion of Honor, Duboce Park, the Panhandle, Alemany Farm, Walter Haas Park and Strawberry Hill and the Oak Woodlands in Golden Gate Park.
Every year, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department relies on more than 129,000 hours of volunteer work in our parks and recreation centers. In an era of severely constrained resources, we not only appreciate the goodwill and generosity of our volunteers to help keep our parks clean, but we desperately need it.
I want to thank Starbucks for organizing this event and for its generous donation to our department. These kinds of projects that provide both sweat equity and financial support are exactly the type of public-private partnerships that will help keep our parks beautiful and rec centers open in difficult financial times.
Go ahead, volunteer. Check out sfrecpark.org and click on the volunteer button for more details.
Get Out and Score! Stanford Spring Game at Kezar
On Saturday afternoon, and for the second year in a row, Stanford Football played their annual Spring Cardinal and White exhibition game at historic Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park.
Stanford Football has been a tremendous partner over the last two years and I want to thank and acknowledge everyone from Stanford and Rec and Park who had a part in organizing this event and bringing a little “Luck” to our historic stadium. A particular shout-out to Rec and Park Commissioner Meagan Levitan, a Stanford alum, who helped bring the Cardinal to Kezar and was as excited as anyone out there.
(That would be star quarterback Andrew Luck, for the uninitiated.)
There is a rich tradition of football at Kezar--- from the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders who made the field their home in the 1960s and ‘70s, to current and former high school legends and, yes, even Stanford, which played a game here back in 1940.
Stanford Football is the epitome of what college athletics is all about, an example to our young student athletes out there that you can work hard and be successful both on and off the field.
The whole Stanford Athletics family seemed to be out enjoying the event on Saturday, from the cheer squads to athletes from the Stanford basketball and volleyball teams, and even members from the infamous Stanford Band.
City youth had the opportunity to participate in activities throughout the day, including a Pass, Punt and Kick competition before the game and Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Coach Tara Vandeveer did the coin toss before the game standing on top of the Rec and Park's logo at midfield.
It was a great day, and although I’m a Cal man at heart, it didn’t hurt one bit to root for the Cardinal and White for a day.
Check out Stanford's video here.
Get Out and Skate, Stroll and Bike: Sunday Streets
On Sunday, Golden Gate Park offered a great setting for the latest Sunday Streets event, an ongoing citywide, multi-agency effort to encourage people to get out and get active. A number of groups and organizations were on hand to offer free activities to participants, including a bike-powered smoothie machine, dance lessons and yoga.
What a day! With my family we biked Golden Gate Park from end to end (almost). We stopped in the Mus
ic Concourse for lunch where we patronized Sam's Chowder House -- one of our exciting new mobile food vendors. And, I had the great pleasure of welcoming the Golden Gate Park Band and its Music Director and Conductor, Michael Wirgler, as it kicked off its 129th season at the Music Bandshell. Do you know, the Golden Gate Park Band has played over 5,000 times at the Bandshell in its storied history? Check out their free concerts at the Spreckles Temple of Music (i.e. the bandshell) every Sunday at 1:00pm through October 9th. Check out goldengateparkband.org for more details.
With great respect for the Band's recital, the highlight for me, without question, was joining the roller skaters along JFK Drive for not one, not two, but THREE successful world-record attempts. Organized by David Miles, aka the Godfather of Skate, my daughter Grace and I took part in the longest in-line skate record. It is unconfirmed, but another record may have been set simultaneously: I believe I may be the first Recreation and Park Department General Manager in San Francisco history who has ever worn roller skates in the official course and scope of his or her duties. It wasn't pretty, but John McLaren, one of our park system's founding fathers, never got his groove on like this...
Get Out and Play
Spring is here, summer is around the corner and there is so much play to be had. This weekend, volunteer opportunities at Boeddeker Park, Portsmouth Square, Victoria Manalo Draves (a Community Clean Team event) and Alemany Farm are ready to be filled. Our Spring Eggstravaganza at Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park is set for April 23, featuring carnival rides, games, jumpy houses and entertainment. And, dont forget about the Outside Lands Festival later this summer, featuring Arcade Fire, Phish, Muse and other top acts strumming in the park.
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SF Botanical Garden Update
On Tuesday, April 12, the Board of Supervisors voted to extend the non-resident fee at the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park for an additional two years. While it gives us no joy to charge anyone anything to enjoy our parks or attractions, this decision will help keep our rec centers open to the children and families in San Francisco and help support a department staff that is 200 gardeners, 80 craft workers, 60 custodians, 60 rec directors and 30 park patrol officers short.
Without question, this has been one of the most debated issues in our parks in recent memory, and I absolutely understand and appreciate the passion people have shown for their parks on all sides.
But again, we are living in an era of ever-shrinking resources that forces us to make some very tough decisions. Charging non-resident visitors from Lafayette and Atherton a modest fee to support the great resource and living museum that is the Botanical Garden just makes sense.
Whichever side you're on, I hope you'll continue to visit our parks and enjoy this spring season.
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