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Rec and Park to accept $870,355 Parks Alliance grant for Sue Bierman Park playground
Summary
Recreation and Park Department staff told the Budget and Finance Committee they will accept and expand a San Francisco Parks Alliance grant totaling $870,355 to design and build a roughly 5,500-square-foot playground at Sue Bierman Park, funded by a donor-cash gift for a project manager and a construction gift. Committee advanced the resolution to the Board.
Abigail Mayer, partnerships division of the Recreation and Park Department, presented a proposed grant acceptance and expansion from the San Francisco Parks Alliance totaling $870,355 for the design and construction of a new playground in Sue Bierman Park in the Embarcadero.
Mayer described the project footprint and community process: "The proposed playground is approximately 5,500 square feet," she said, and noted the play area would be fully ADA compliant and include poured-in-place safety surfacing, benches to match existing park furniture, landscaping and a fenced entrance from the park interior.
She outlined the grant split: a $37,500 cash gift to fund a Recreation and Park project manager to oversee construction and ensure compliance with city policies, and roughly $830,000 to cover playground construction costs, to be gifted to the city. Mayer said the Friends of Waterfront Playground had raised about $300,000 to date and the parties had an MOU that prohibits breaking ground until full funding is in place.
During public comment, Ronald Urbina asked about the bidding process and scheduling: "Is there a bidding process for this, or is the construction person already chosen?" Mayer explained that because the project is funded with private funds, the Friends group and Parks Alliance assembled the bid package and put the project out to bid; a contractor had not yet been selected. She said Rec and Park provides oversight and will ensure vendors and materials align with operational maintenance capacity.
Supervisor Kim asked about long-term maintenance funding; Mayer said department operations staff will maintain the equipment and that the Parks Alliance and Friends Group are discussing an ongoing maintenance fund and volunteer stewardship. The committee moved the resolution forward with recommendation.
