Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Bonds topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Recreation & Parks says park bonds largely spent; Lets Play partnership leverages private donations
Summary
Recreation & Parks reported 2008 bond projects are almost complete (99% expended), 2012 neighborhood park projects are progressing with more in construction, and the Let's Play public–private partnership will leverage $50 million in bond funds plus roughly $13 million in philanthropic donations.
Toks (Tuxi) Jike, Director of Capital Planning for the Recreation & Parks Department, told the GO Bond Oversight Committee that work funded by earlier parks bonds is nearing completion and that new phases are underway. Jike said the Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks 2008 bond has all 12 projects complete and is 99% expended, while the 2012 bond has 8 of 14 neighborhood park projects complete with the remainder either in bid or construction and targeted for completion by spring 2020.
Jike highlighted milestones including neighborhood pools (Baboaqua/Balboa and ongoing work on Rossi), trail openings and water-conservation projects. He said the department is embarking on the final 2012-phase work this summer and is assessing roughly 54,000,000 square feet of park assets to inform future bond planning and deferred-maintenance priorities.
The department described the Let's Play SF public–private partnership with the Parks Alliance to renovate about 13 playgrounds. Jike said the program leverages about $50,000,000 from the 2012 bond and that private fundraising has produced roughly $13,000,000 in philanthropic donations to implement projects across the city.
Committee members pressed Rec & Parks staff on Crane Cove Park and whether all funding is secured; staff said they believed most funding has been secured and agreed to follow up by email with a detailed funding status. Members also asked why some projects have lengthy gaps between design approval and construction; staff attributed those gaps to partner resource constraints (Public Works detailed design) and said some projects are now out to bid.
The committee asked Rec & Parks to include clearer project-level notes on scope, costs, delays and what those issues mean for timing and budgets in future quarterly reports. No formal committee actions were taken on Rec & Parks items at the meeting.
