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Stern Grove Playground Renovation

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Stern Grove Playground is part of Stern Grove Park, a 64-acre park in a unique forest setting with mature trees. The playground is located at Sloat and 21 st Avenue and was last renovated in the 1980s. This project will completely renovate the children’s play area to improve safety and accessibility.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, more than 250 community members provided input on the eventual design via surveys and community meetings. This input resulted in a design that offers imaginative nature-based play and amplifies the park’s existing woodland character.

Conceived as a small village of tree houses, park users will be transported into a forested wonderland with nature-inspired features that allow climbing, sliding, swinging, and imaginative play.

The playground design seeks to respect the historic and natural aesthetic of Stern Grove while creating an exciting and contemporary neighborhood resource.

Some highlights from the new design include:

  • Play equipment serving children ages 2-12, featuring play tree-like tower structures (both youth and tot), natural timber logs, climbing nets, swings, and a nature exploration area.
  • New accessibility features, including ADA-compliant crosswalks, gates, pathways, sidewalks, and an accessible boardwalk within the children’s play area.
  • New site furnishings, including wood deck steps and a sinuous concrete curb wall to improve seating options.
  • New planting and irrigation, including re-sodding the lawn adjacent to the playground.

The Stern Grove playground renovation project is part of the LetsPlaySF! Initiative , a partnership between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the San Francisco Parks Alliance, and is driven by the transformative power of play to improve wellness, creativity, and community.

Project Costs

Total project budget: $4,139,300

Funding

  • General Fund: $1,340,000
  • 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond – Let’sPlaySF! Initiative: $946,199
  • 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond – Forestry Program: $187,300
  • San Francisco Parks Alliance Grant: $1,303,801
  • Commission Contingency: $362,000

Total Sources: $4,139,300

Estimated Project Schedule

Phase

Timeline

Planning

Winter 2020

Design

Spring 2021

Construction

Summer 2024

Open to the public

Mid-2025

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Contact Us

Alexis Ward

Project Manager Email Phone: 1-628-652-6641