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Recreation and Parks to accept $280,000 Parks Alliance grant for seven neighborhood projects
Summary
The Recreation and Park Department asked the committee to retroactively accept and expand a $280,000 grant from the San Francisco Parks Alliance to support seven community projects; officials said the grant will be combined with private matches already raised by neighborhood groups and used to pay contractors to finish projects.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department asked the Budget and Finance Committee for retroactive authorization to accept and expand a grant of up to $280,000 from the San Francisco Parks Alliance toward seven community projects funded with Community Opportunity Fund dollars.
Abigail Maher, partnerships division, described the seven projects and the private match amounts neighborhood groups have raised: Geneva Community Garden (~$40,000) in the Cayuga Terrace area (District 11); Friends of Pioneer Park (~$30,000) in North Beach (District 3) for fencing, irrigation and lighting; a Debose Park play area (retroactive item); Golden Gate Park lawn bowling green repairs (~$25,000); Lincoln Park Steps improvements (~$21,000); Noe Courts drainage and seating (~$42,000); and Upper Douglas Dog Park improvements in Noe Valley (~$17,000).
Maher said the Parks Alliance funds will be used to pay contractor fees to build out the projects and that each project combines private fundraising with bond money from the Community Opportunity Fund. Chair Carmen Chu and Supervisor Avalos both raised equity concerns, noting some districts have less organizing capacity to form friends groups and raise matching funds; Maher said a task force scores applications on multiple criteria, including community stewardship, not only money.
One public commenter criticized the city’s prior handling of the Golden Gate Park Stables and labeled the city "Benghazi by the sea," a rhetorical complaint contained in public comment. There were no other public requests to speak. The committee moved the resolution forward with recommendation without objection.
Next step: forwarded to Board of Supervisors for consideration.
