Bonds and Initiatives
The Capital Plan relies on a series of bonds to modernize the City’s parks and recreation facilities. With passage of the 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond for $185 million, the department was able to renew and renovate 12 neighborhood parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities and begin addressing the infrastructure needs in our urban forest, trail network, playfields, and restrooms. In November 2012, voters approved an additional $195 million in Bonds to improve 15 more neighborhood parks, including three pools, remediate failing playgrounds, bring long-awaited investment to our citywide parks, and continue the vital renewal projects in our urban forest, trails, and water conservation needs. Even with the significant infusion of funds received by the Bonds, more than $1 billion in deferred maintenance and modernization needs remain.
Active Initiatives
Completed Initiatives
Capital and Planning Reports The Capital and Planning Division submits monthly financial reports on the status of our projects and initiatives to the Recreation and Park Commission . These available on the Commission’s webpage. Click the green box for 2023 materials from Full Commission meetings:
For archive of Full Commission Documents from previous years, Click here .
The Division also produces reports on projects with bond funding for the Citizens’ General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee (GOBOC). These are available on the GOBOC webpage under Recreation and culture bond programs .
Project Updates
If you would like to sign-up for Project Update blog posts like the ones below, click here , scroll down to the News Flash section, and then select “RPD Park Improvements | All Project Updates” to receive updates on all our active projects, or pick-and-choose your blog subscriptions by project name. Y ou’ll receive an email that includes a link to confirm your new subscription for each blog for which you sign-up.
Golden Gate Park - Botanical Garden Access Improvements | Construction update, August 2025
Phase 1 of the project is now complete and open to the public! Phase 1 involved pathway improvements in the southeast section of the gardens (Mesoamerican Cloud Forest), including paving work and installation of concrete ramps and metal handrails. This is Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | REMINDER: Workforce Development Community Meeting, this Thursday, 8/21 at 2pm
REMINDER: Workforce Development Community Meeting, this Thursday, August 21 at 2pm at Rosa Parks Senior Center on Buchanan Mall (at Golden Gate Ave.). Come learn more about job opportunities, training, and employment support. For the Read on…
McLaren Park | McLaren Park Vision Plan Update + 2020 Bond Funding Allocations at Commission on 8/21
Please join us (in-person or online) for a presentation of the Vision Plan Update and 2020 Bond Funding Allocations at Recreation and Park Commission. This Thursday, August 21st at 10am. The McLaren Park Vision Plan (2018) has guided our Read on…
Mayor Lurie Breaks Ground on Final Phase of India Basin Waterfront Park Project
Project Continues Mayor Lurie’s Work to Foster Vibrant Public Spaces, Support Bayview Community Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, August 2025
Our contractor has finished grading for accessibility at the ribbon trail on University Hill. They have installed several salvaged granite benches along the route to take advantage of the sweeping views over the Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Construction update, August 2025
Construction is currently focused on specialized sewer work, surface demolition, and careful investigations to locate and protect existing utilities. The project team has completed the second of three 48-hour sewer lining operations, where a Read on…
Bernal Heights Playground | Construction update, August 2025
Bernal Heights Playground is now closed for the duration of construction: August 11 through Late 2025. Construction of the new playground begins this week. This playground renewal project includes replacing all play equipment and playground surfacing by Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | REMINDER: Night work scheduled for August 11 and 12
DAY AND NIGHT WORK REMINDER: Sewer and construction work will be continuous for 48 hours from August 11-13. This includes two evenings of night work (August 11 & 12). The contractor will Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Saturday work scheduled for August 9
NOTICE OF WEEKEND WORK: There will be on-site construction work this Saturday. The contractor will follow all noise ordinance requirements. DAY AND NIGHT WORK REMINDER: Sewer and construction work will be continuous for 48 hours from August 11-13. This Read on…
India Basin Waterfront Park | India Basin Shoreline Park Groundbreaking on August 19
Join the partners of the India Basin Waterfront Park project—the Trust for Public Land, San Francisco Foundation, A. Philip Randolph Institute, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, and the Bayview-Hunters Point community—for the groundbreaking on Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Workforce development update, August 7, 2025
For the past two years, we have partnered with Success Centers, a hyper-local community-based workforce nonprofit dedicated to connecting local Western Addition and Fillmore residents with trade job opportunities, training, and employment support for Read on…
Kimbell Athletic Field Renovation | Athletic Fields Reopen After Renovation Project
We’re excited to share that the renovation project at Kimbell Playground (1901 Geary Boulevard) is now complete! As part of the project, the synthetic turf on these fields was replaced after 14 years of use. Additional improvements include Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Night work scheduled for August 11 and 12
Notice of Night Work: Please be advised that there will be 48 hours of continuous construction activity from Monday, August 11, 7 a.m. to Wednesday, August 13, 7 a.m. Work will be performed on the sewer between Turk St. and Eddy St. Sewer lining work must Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, August 2025
There has been an unforeseen delay in the installation of the safety surfacing at the playground. This will push the playground’s reopening to sometime in September. We will follow up with more information once an opening date is Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Park ready for Jerry Day!
The biggest event of the year is happening at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater this Saturday, and the McLaren Trails project is reopening the Upper Reservoir parking lot to accommodate the crowds. The contractor has completed the ADA van parking space in the Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Workforce development update
Thanks to the nearly thirty people who stopped by office hours yesterday. Rec and Park and Success Centers staff shared information about the various workforce development initiatives that are in place on the Buchanan Street Mall Renovation project as Read on…
Gene Friend Rec Center | Construction update, July 2025
The structural steel frame of the building is in place, and the contractor team is working on the roof decking and starting to frame exterior windows. Site work includes installation of the new storm drainage system. This past weekend, there was Read on…
Portsmouth Square Improvements | Project will be advertised for bids again in fall 2025
Earlier this year, we announced that the Portsmouth Square project was advertised for construction bids from March 12 to May 21, 2025. Unfortunately, all the bid proposals submitted by qualified contractors exceeded the project’s budget. The significantly Read on…
Mission Creek Park South Extension Project | Project update, July 2025
We are excited to announce the creation of the Rec and Park website for the Mission Creek Park South Extension Project. The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII), along with the Mission Bay Development Group (MBDG), is responsible for Read on…
McLaren Park | Project update, July 2025
Starting in late 2022, Rec and Park conducted extensive community and stakeholder engagement to get feedback on how to prioritize the investment of $6 million from the 2020 Health and Recovery Bond in McLaren Park. Throughout June and July 2025, we Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Workforce development
We’re hosting workforce development-focused office hours this Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 10:30am at Rosa Parks Senior Center computer lab. We encourage everyone to attend to learn more about our workforce development initiatives and about Read on…
Golden Gate Park - Botanical Garden Access Improvements | REMINDER: North Gate Closed, Use Main Gate
Construction Advisory: Please be advised that the Friend Gate (North Entrance) will close for over a month beginning Monday, July 21, 2025. Please use Main Gate entrance at 9th Avenue. This work at the Friend Gate is “Phase 2” of the Read on…
Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation | REMINDER: Survey Closes Tuesday, July 29
The second survey closes Tuesday, July 29. Public spaces are for everyone, and your input is essential to ensure the project reflects the needs and priorities of the wide range of users that will utilize this area. Please share your Read on…
Bernal Heights Playground | Construction Starting Soon! August 2025 through Late 2025
For the duration of construction, the playground will be closed. Expect construction noise, intermittent street/sidewalk closures, and pedestrian detours. We’re giving the playground a fresh new look this year! This playground renewal project Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, July 2025
We’re excited to report that the new playground’s final piece of custom play equipment – the large, curved, metal slide – arrived on July 16 and installation of the slide is now underway. Our contractor is also working to complete the Read on…
Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation | REMINDER: Survey Open through Tuesday, July 29
REMINDER! The second survey is open now through July 29. Public spaces are for everyone, and your input is essential to ensure the project reflects the needs and priorities of the wide range of users that will utilize this area. Please share your Read on…
Golden Gate Park - Botanical Garden Access Improvements | Construction update, July 2025
Construction Advisory: Please be advised that the Friend Gate (North Entrance) will close for over a month beginning Monday, July 21, 2025. Please use Main Gate entrance at 9th Avenue. This work at the Friend Gate is “Phase 2” of the Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | REMINDER: Night work scheduled for July 22 & July 23
Notice of Night Work: Please be advised that there will be 48 hours of continuous construction activity from July 22, 7 a.m. to July 24, 7 a.m. Cured-in-place lining work will be completed on the sewer between Fulton and McAllister on Read on…
India Basin Waterfront Park | PG & E Tower Removal Project Begins, IBWP-Phase 3 to Begin Soon
Earlier this month, PG & E began work to decommission its existing transition tower at 5000 Hunters Point Blvd. near the intersection of Hawes St. adjacent to India Basin Shoreline Park (IBSP). This tower has stood between IBSP and the Read on…
South Sunset Clubhouse | Construction update, July 2025
Demolition and utility work are currently underway. Storm drainage work is moving forward. We’re also managing our orders of materials with long-lead times, such as ADA signage and glass doors, to keep the project on track. We’re still on pace to Read on…