Stern Grove Playground Renovation

Completed and Opened to the Public on September 10, 2025!

Scope of Work

Stern Grove Playground is part of Stern Grove Park, a 64-acre park in a unique forest setting with mature trees.

This project completely renovated the children’s play area to improve safety and accessibility.

The playground design seeks to respect the historic and natural aesthetic of Stern Grove while creating an exciting and contemporary neighborhood resource. Conceived as a small village of tree houses, park users are transported into a forested wonderland with nature-inspired features that allow climbing, sliding, swinging, and imaginative play.

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.

  

Background

The playground is located at Sloat and 21 st Avenue and was previously renovated in the 1980s.

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.

The renovation of Stern Grove Playground is part of the Let’sPlay SF ! Initiative , which seeks to inspire creativity and play throughout the City. 13 playgrounds prioritized for improvement by a citizen task force are in the process of being reimagined and redesigned for this and future generations of San Francisco’s children .

Funding

This project was funded by private donations and public sources including:

• 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
• Philanthropy: $1,303,801
• Commission Contingency: $362,000

Total Project Budget: $4,139,300

Project Schedule

Planning , 2020

Design , 2021

Construction begins , Mid 2024

Open to the Public , September 10, 2025

Get Out and Play!

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