Dolores Park in San Francisco is receiving a $13 million renovation. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was hosted by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department on March 1, 2014.
“Dolores Park is one of our civic treasures, and it’s no wonder that it’s among our most popular parks,” said District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener reports NBC Bay Area . “Hundreds of community members participated in the park design process, and the result will be a renewed park that’s even more usable by our entire community.”
“For nearly a century San Franciscans have enjoyed diverse recreational activities at Mission Dolores Par,” said San Francisco Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg, according to KTVU. “In 2008, thanks to more than 71% of the San Francisco voters who approved the $185 million of Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, now the Department has the funding to provide the much-needed infrastructure improvement for a park that has been loved to death.”
Visitor’s to San Francisco’s Dolores Park won’t see any dramatic impact until March 13 when half the park will be closed by fences between 18th Street and the San Francisco hot spot’s central walkway. The first phase of the renovation will take seven month, at which point the fences will be moved to close down the other half of the park for renovation. The second phase should be done by spring of 2015.
“We asked the neighborhood groups if they wanted the work done in stages or whether they preferred that the whole park be closed so the work could get done a little quicker,” said project manager for the San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department Jacob Gilchrist, according to SFGate . “Everyone wanted to keep half the park open.”
The San Francisco tourist destination will have new restrooms built and handicapped-accessible paths constructed. The tennis courts will be completely moved and new electrical and irrigation systems will be installed. The children’s playground completed in 2012 will remain open during the San Fran park makeover.
The park design process was a community driven project. Everyone from tennis players to dog owners, sunbather, bike polo fans, advocates for the disabled, and others had a voice in the project. A park renovation steering committee held 13 meetings and public workshops and numerous other subcommitee meetings to prepare design solutions.
“The community planning process was an extraordinary experience. It allowed us to truly participate in the co-design of the renovation. The community, Rec and Park and the architects together are responsible for this renovation,” said Robert Brust, Founder of Dolores Park Works. “Because of this collaborative process we now have a brave and balanced plan and just as importantly we have given the community a sense of empowerment.”
