Bonds and Initiatives
The Department’s Capital Plan relies on a series of General Obligation Bonds to modernize the City’s parks and recreation facilities. The Department has received funding from multiple bonds over the past two decades. The 2020 Health & Recovery Bond included $239M for park improvements, including named parks, recovery parks, and five programs. The Department is wrapping up the final project for the 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, which provided $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. In addition to these large bond investments, the Department has also received $70M from the 2020 Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond for Kezar Pavillion and $15M from the 2024 Healthy, Vibrant San Francisco Bond for Embarcadero Plaza and Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park.
The Department has closed out the 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond for $185 million provided funding 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. Even with the significant infusion of funds received by the Bonds, more than $1 billion in deferred maintenance and modernization needs remain.
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Check out our StoryMap for more information about the 2020 Health & Recovery Bond
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 receive updates about all our active projects, please visit the News Flash section of our webpage and subscribe to “Rec Park Improvements | All Project Updates,” or pick-and-choose your subscriptions by project name.
Golden Gate Park - JFK Promenade | Construction update, March 2026
We’re happy to report that construction to upgrade the crosswalks and curb ramps on JFK Promenade near the Conservatory of Flowers has reached a major milestone and is now nearly complete. We recently finished all crosswalk and curb ramp improvements on Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Construction update, March 2026
Construction continues humming along at Buchanan Street Mall. Irrigation water and domestic water lines are installed, and electric conduit installation is mostly complete. Site walls continue to be formed and Read on…
Koshland Park Playground Renewal | Community Info Sessions on March 21 and April 8
Join the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to learn more about the upcoming renovation of the playground equipment and surfacing at Koshland Park Playground. These two community information sessions will have no formal agenda or Read on…
Precita Park Improvement Project | New restroom opens this Friday!
We’re excited to announce that the new restroom will open this Friday. This new facility features a single-stall, all-gender, fully accessible restroom; a drinking fountain; and a trash receptacle. We’ve also added beautiful new landscaping around the Read on…
India Basin Waterfront Park | Construction update, March 2026
Thank you to everyone who attended our community meeting on the EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant. The grant application was submitted in late January. Stay tuned for updates. Ground stabilization work continues at India Basin Shoreline Park, with soil Read on…
Japantown Peace Plaza | Construction Advisory – Pedestrian Detour on Post Street Sidewalk
Construction begins today on the sidewalk on Post Street. For the duration of this work, pedestrians will be diverted into a protected pedestrian pathway adjacent to the work area. This sidewalk work and related pedestrian detour is expected to Read on…
Gene Friend Rec Center | Weekend Work Advisory for Saturday, February 28
Please be advised that our contractor will have a crew working this Saturday, February 28. This will be work on the interior of the facility, including painting and flooring installation. We anticipate minimal noise or other disruption to Read on…
McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal | Project update, February 2026
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our two community information sessions at the playground in January! Between both sessions, we spoke with over 150 parkgoers about the design options for the project. In addition, we received a lot of Read on…
Japantown Peace Plaza Renovation | Construction update, February 2026
We have two important construction advisories for March: First, the sidewalk on Post Street will be under construction starting in early March. Pedestrians will be diverted into a protected pedestrian pathway adjacent to the work area. Second, we also Read on…
Golden Gate Park-Senior Center Outdoor Recreation Area | Project update, February 2026
We’re excited to announce that our Recreation and Park Commission approved the concept design for the Golden Gate Park - Senior Center Outdoor Recreation Area. This marks an important milestone for the project, and we want to thank everyone who Read on…
Buena Vista Park Improvements | Project update, February 2026
We’re happy to report that we are more than a third of the way through design and should have design work completed by the end of the year. We’ll be starting the CEQA review process soon. As a reminder, this pathway renovation project is the first to Read on…
Gene Friend Rec Center | PG & E Begins Energization Work
We are excited to report that PG & E has begun work to energize the new facility. Please be advised: We expect energization will involve some night work by PG & E along 6th Street, but we do not have Read on…
Twin Peaks Promenade Project | Project Update, February 2026
Construction bids for the Twin Peaks Promenade Project were received on January 14, with four competitive bids submitted, all within budget – marking a major milestone in the next phase of reimagining this iconic San Francisco destination. With the Read on…
Randolph-Bright Mini Park Improvements | Project update, February 2026
We’re excited to share an important milestone as the project moves forward. In early February, the project was presented to the Recreation and Park Department’s Capital Committee. The committee reviewed the final design and approved it to Read on…
Tenderloin Rec Center Play Area | Construction update, February 2026
The new play structure at Tenderloin Recreation Center is taking shape and it’s a big one! The new play structure features a two-story climbing structure made of stacked cubes, with a central climbing net and a stainless-steel tube slide that kids can Read on…
Community Opportunity Fund (COF) | Final Workshop on Feb 21; Register by Feb 14
To apply, attending a pre-application workshop is mandatory. The last pre-application workshop is Saturday, February 21 with the workshop registration deadline this Saturday, February 14. Rec and Park’s Community Opportunity Fund is a program that Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Traffic and Parking impacts on Golden Gate Ave on Friday, February 13
On Friday, February 13, our contractor will remove a hazardous tree on Golden Gate Avenue near Rosa Parks Senior Center. Expect work vehicles in the roadway, lane closures, slow traffic, and temporary “No Parking | Tow Away” restrictions near the Read on…
Golden Gate Park - JFK Promenade | Construction advisory, February 9, 2026
Please be advised that most of Conservatory Drive East will be closed to pedestrians and cyclists for road work Tuesday, Feb. 10 through Friday, Feb. 13. This closure may resume the following week, if needed. There will be orange road barricades and Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Construction update, February 2026
The tree work on Golden Gate Avenue near Rosa Parks Senior Center, originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 4, was postponed. We will keep you posted once a new date for this tree work has been determined. Other project work is continuing at a Read on…
South Sunset Clubhouse | Construction update, February 2026
On the roof of the main building, we completed the installation and painting of the soffits and rain gutters. In back, the base and columns of the new pavilion are now in-place, and the roof and site concrete will be installed soon. Inside the Read on…
Golden Gate Park - JFK Promenade | Construction update, February 2026
Please be advised that curb work started this week at Pompeii Circle in front of the Conservatory of Flowers. JFK Promenade will remain open to pedestrians throughout construction, and pedestrians and cyclists will be directed around the Read on…
Buchanan Street Mall | Traffic and Parking impacts on Golden Gate Ave on Wednesday, February 4
On Wednesday, February 4, our contractor will remove a hazardous tree on Golden Gate Avenue near Rosa Park Senior Center. Expect work vehicles in the roadway, lane closures, slow traffic, and temporary “No Parking | Tow Away” restrictions near the Read on…
Community Opportunity Fund (COF) | First important deadline is next Tuesday, February 3
Nominations are open for Rec and Park’s Community Opportunity Fund, a program that supports community-driven park improvement projects across the city. The first deadline is approaching, and attendance at one of two February workshops is a required Read on…
With Contractor Lined Up, Portsmouth Square Renovation Moves Toward Summer 2026 Groundbreaking
After years of planning and community engagement, the long-anticipated renovation of Portsmouth Square is moving closer to construction. Read on…
Japantown Peace Plaza Renovation | Construction update, January 2026
We’re happy to report that the project is two-thirds complete! This includes significant portions of the structure and utilities systems. Please be advised that we expect limited Saturday construction work in February. For the Plaza and Pagoda, the Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, January 2026
We’re getting very close to completing the McLaren Park - Trails Improvement Project! Our contractor has completed planting and a small bridge in the restored drainage area north of the Upper Reservoir and will be working on the planting area near Read on…
Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal | REMINDER: Two Community Information Sessions in January
We have two community information sessions scheduled: Saturday, January 24, 11am and Monday, January 26, 2:30pm. Join the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to learn more about the upcoming renovation of the playground equipment and Read on…
India Basin Waterfront Park | Construction update, January 2026
Construction at India Basin Shoreline Park continues, with earthwork and grading underway, along with soil import and installation of drainage infrastructure. Please note there was a minor delay related to clearing the PG & E pit, with Read on…
Kezar Pavilion Renovation Project | Project update, January 2026
We are excited to share that we will be releasing a Release for Qualifications/Proposals (RFQP) for a Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) for the Kezar Pavilion Renovation Project in early 2026! This will allow us to integrate the Read on…
Community Opportunity Fund (COF) | Nominations for projects are now open!
Nominations for Community Opportunity Fund (COF) projects are now open! To get started today: Visit the program page, review the sample application, application instructions, scoresheet, FAQs, and the Implementation Plan! Sign up for a Read on…