San Francisco Playground Report Card 2010 Report Card 2… · The letter grade indicates the...

Crocker Amazon Park Playground

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Like school grades, a playground’s grade provides a glimpse of how that playground measures up. The letter grade indicates the safety, cleanliness, and quality of the overall play experience a playground offers. In short, the newest, safest, and best-maintained playgrounds are given an A grade, while older playgrounds with greater safety and maintenance challenges receive worse grades. In most cases, F grade playgrounds have simply lived out their lifespan and should be renovated.

How is the Playground Report Card Used?

Every two years, the Playground Initiative uses the latest Report Card to inform strategic planning for its next phase of playground advocacy, fundraising and action. Playgrounds that received a grade of C or worse on the Report Card are targeted for improvement efforts. While each failing playground presents a unique set of challenges, all F, D, and C grade playgrounds benefit from extra attention, community volunteerism and advocacy.

The Playground Report Card: A Project of the Playground Initiative

The Playground Initiative is a partnership between the San Francisco Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC) and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (RPD). The Initiative’s goal is to ensure that all children in San Francisco have access to safe and engaging play spaces in their neighborhood.

In order to accomplish this goal, the NPC and RPD survey public playgrounds every two years to determine the safety and quality of individual playgrounds. The playground grades that result from these surveys are published in this Playground Report Card. The report helps identify which playgrounds are in need of the most attention.

South Sunset Playground

Understanding Playground Grades The 2010 Playground Survey evaluated the quality and condition of a playground’s equipment, its fall surfaces, gates and fencing, signage, as well as the playground’s overall cleanliness and upkeep. Issues that may cause a child injury such as broken equipment, damaged rubber surfacing, sand with hazardous debris, and corrosion reduced a playground’s grade.

The Playground Initiative serves as San Francisco’s champion for play, continually working to upgrade or replace needy playgrounds.

Neighborhood Parks Council, 451 Hayes Street 2nd. Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102 phone: (415) 621-3260 e-mail: [email protected]

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The average playground grade in San Francisco in spring of 2010 was a B (83%), compared to a grade of C+ (79%) in 2008. Districts 1 and 9 both had the highest district average in 2010 with 86%. While there were small differences between district averages, all political districts received an average grade of B.

Of the 125 play areas graded in 2010, 33% received an A, 30% earned a B, 24% were a C grade, and 13% were “failing,” meaning they received a D (10%) or an F grade (3%). Playgrounds that were not given a grade have either been removed or were closed for renovation.

In comparison to 2008 when the last Playground Report Card was published, playground grades have risen. The percentage of A grade playgrounds increased 4% between 2008 and 2010. The number of failing playgrounds also decreased from 26 in 2008 to 16 in 2010. This represents a decrease from 21% in 2008 to 13% in 2010.

2010 Results: Playground Grades Improved Since 2008

Figure 2: San Francisco Playground Grades 2010

A33%

B30%

C24%

D10%

F3%

St. Mary’s Playground

Figure 1: Average Playground Grades 2010

Average Grades by AreaDistrict 1 86%District 2 81%District 3 80%District 4 80%District 5 83%District 6 84%District 7 85%District 8 83%District 9 86%District 10 81%District 11 80%City 83%


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San Francisco Playgrounds by Grade

Playground Grade Playground Grade Playground Grade10th & Clement Mini Park A Glen Canyon Park B* Golden Gate Heights D24th & York Mini Park A Golden Gate Park (Fulton) B Herz Playground DAlamo Square A Golden Gate Park (Lincoln) B India Basin Shoreline Park DAlta Plaza Park A Huntington Park B Juri Commons DAptos Playground A Hyde & Turk Mini Park B Laurel Hill Playground DBay View Playground A James Rolph Playground B Miraloma Playground DCrocker Amazon (Geneva) A Jose Coronado Playground B Panhandle Playground DEureka Valley Playground A Joseph Lee Rec Center B Sunset Playground D*Franklin Square A Julius Kahn Playground B Washington Square DGarfield Square A Kimbell Playground B* West Sunset Playground D*Golden Gate Park (Koret) A Koshland Park B Youngblood Coleman Playground DHamilton Rec Center A Louis Sutter Playground B Chinese Rec Center F*Hayward Playground A McKinley Square B Crocker Amazon (Italy) FHelen Wills Playground A Palega Playground B* Dolores Park F*Holly Park Playground A Palou & Phelps Park B Selby & Palou Mini-Park FJ.P. Murphy Playground A Parkside Square BJackson Playground A Randolph Bright Mini Park BJunipero Serra Playground A Rolph Nicol Park B Closed for Renovation in 3/2010Kelloch Velasco Park A SOMA Rec Center B Lincoln Park -Kid Power Park A States Street Playground B Cayuga Playground -Lessing-Sears Mini Park A Tenderloin Rec Center B Hayes Valley Playground -Little Hollywood Park A Visitacion Valley Playground B Presidio Heights Playground -McCoppin Square A* Walter Haas Playground BMichaelangelo Playground A Washington & Hyde Mini Park BMidtown Terrace Playground A Alioto Performing Arts Piazza (N) C Cement Slides OnlyMinnie & Lovie Ward A Bernal Heights Rec Center C Seward Mini Park -Mission Playground A* Boeddeker Park C* Hilltop Park -Moscone Rec Center (West) A Brooks Park CNoe Valley Courts A Buchanan St. Mall (Fulton) CParque de los Ninos Unidos A Buchanan St. Mall (S of Turk) C Playgrounds RemovedPatricia's Green A Buena Vista Park C McLaren Park (Gambier) -Potrero del Sol Playground A Christopher Playground C McLaren Park (Peru) -Potrero Hill Playground A Crocker Amazon (La Grande) C McLaren Park (John Shelley) -Rochambeau Playground A Excelsior Playground CRossi Playground A Golden Gate Park (Stow Lake) CSouth Sunset Playground A Grattan Playground C * Scheduled to be renovatedSt. Mary's Playground A Joe DiMaggio Playground CSt. Mary's Square A Lafayette Park C*Sunnyside Rec Center A Larsen Park CUpper Noe Rec Center A Merced Heights Playground CVictoria Manolo Draves Park A Moscone Rec Center (East) CVisitacion Valley Greenway A Mountain Lake Park CAdam Rogers Park B Peixotto Playground CAlice Chalmers B Portsmouth Square CAlioto Mini Park B Potrero Hill Rec Center CAlioto Performing Arts Piazza (S) B Precita Park CArgonne Playground B Richmond Playground CBalboa Park B* Sergeant John Macaulay Park CBrotherhood Head Mini-Park B Silver Terrace Playground CBuchanan St. Mall (N of Turk) B South Park CCabrillo Playground B* Stern Grove CCow Hollow Playground B West Portal Playground CDouglass Playground B Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Playground CDuboce Park Playground B Woh Hei Yuen Park CFulton Playground B* Gilman Playground D

Grades: A = 90%-100% B = 80%-89% C = 70%-79% D = 60%-69% F = 59% & below


Playground Initiative Work Completed Since the 2008 Report Card

Throughout 2008 and 2009, the Initiative held volunteer workdays at 24 C, D, and F grade playgrounds, as identified in the 2008 Playground Report Card. Workday tasks varied by playground, but included the following: general clean-up, sand sifting, plantings, weeding, sand addition, and equipment painting. Community volunteers, led by RPD and NPC staff, donated hundreds of hours to revitalize these play areas. A reassessment of each site showed grade improvements at 15 of the sites.

While 15 play areas could be upgraded by volunteerism, other playgrounds were beyond the point of being improved by a workday. Instead, these sites needed a full renovation. As such, the Playground Initiative advocated for capital improvements for these playgrounds and organized local park groups to strengthen these efforts.

Renovation Projects Improve San Francisco’s Playground Landscape Playgrounds, like cars, require regular maintenance and have a limited lifespan. No playground will remain an A grade play area forever. Therefore, renovation projects are key to keeping San Francisco play-friendly. Thanks both to private dollars and funding from the 2000 Parks Bond, over ten public playgrounds were renovated since the release of the 2008 Playground Report Card. Four more are under construction as of spring 2010. Fourteen additional playgrounds are scheduled to be renovated in the next few years drawing upon generous private contributions and funds from the 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond. All told, these projects create a very positive outlook for the state of playgrounds in our city. The Playground

Initiative is dedicated to ensuring that local families are a part of each playground planning process so that every renovated playground meets the neighborhood’s needs. Moreover, the Initiative is committed to finding creative ways to fund renovations of failing playgrounds that are not currently scheduled to be renovated.

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The Playground Initiative has received financial support from the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund, the Wells Fargo Foundation, the Morris Stulsaft Foundation, the Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation, SF Beautiful and SolarCity. If you would like to donate to support our playground work visit sfnpc.org/donate.


2008: Balboa Park Playground Community Rebuild

Balboa Park Playground received a D in the very first Playground Report Card published by the Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC) in 2006. Built in the 1970s, this Mission Terrace neighborhood playground had become dilapidated from years of heavy use. The 2006 Playground Report Card reinforced existing concerns of local parents who questioned the safety of the play area for their children. With the support of NPC, the group’s fiscal sponsor, these parents became the founding members of the Friends of Balboa Park Playground (FOBPP). The group’s mission was to work together to replace the outdated playground and provide a

community gathering space for area children and park neighbors.

After two years of community organizing, advocacy, and fundraising, FOBPP achieved their goal! On March 4, 2008, more than 500 volunteers descended upon Balboa Park for a community build day where they would assemble the new play structures. At the grand reopening event on June 1st, the public saw the amazing results. The green-, orange- and plum-colored playground features a tot lot for children 2-5 years old, as well as a larger play area, including a rock-climbing wall for older kids.

With generous funding and volunteer support from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), working with the non-profit KaBOOM!, and the Recreation and Park Department, the Friends of Balboa Park Playground took their failing playground--old and unsafe for so many years--and made it into a destination for children across the neighborhood. NPC is proud to have worked closely with the Friends of Balboa Park Playground to usher this inspiring project through a complex City process.

Neighborhood Parks Council Playground Success Stories

Balboa Park Playground in 2007

Balboa Park Playground 2008

5Neighborhood Parks Council, 451 Hayes Street 2nd. Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102 phone: (415) 621-3260 e-mail: [email protected]


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2009: A Playful Improvement at Franklin Square

More than three years in the making, Friends of Franklin Square Playground now have a beautiful and safe place for neighborhood children to play in. For years, this Mission District playground, the only one in the immediate area, stood almost abandoned. The swing set was barely functional, and rusty metal structures and harmful objects in the sand caused parents to keep kids far away. Neighborhood Parks Council’s 2006 Playground Report Card identified Franklin Square as a failing playground, galvanizing support for a new facility. Concerned neighbors used NPC’s ParkScan.org to compile online data on the maintenance needs of the playground and successfully used that information and the playground’s grade to persuade city leaders to fund the majority of the renovation costs. In the spring of 2009, NPC joined local families and the Recreation and Park Department at the grand opening of their brand new playground.

NPC encourages individuals seeking to join forces with their neighbors to improve their communities to take a cue from this and other community playground renovation projects--these Friends of groups are not only inspiring to work with, but are creating results that everyone in the City can enjoy!

Not sure how to get started? NPC can help guide you as you form your own playground group.

Friends of Franklin Square is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to providing you with a safe and attractive park experience in the Northeast Mission. The group is fiscally sponsored by the Neighborhood Parks Council. http://friendsoffranklinsquare.org

Franklin Square Playground Before Renovation

Franklin Square Playground After Renovation



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2010: Failing Dolores Park Playground to Become World-Class

After declining for many years, Dolores Park Playground received a failing grade in both the 2008 and 2010 Playground Report Card. Friends of Dolores Park Playground (FODPP) formed to combat this trend. FODPP advocates for clean and safe playgrounds, specifically a world-class playground at Dolores Park. Together with their 1,500+ supporters, FODPP is in the process fully renovating the old playground and replacing it with an innovative play space. This new, world-class playground, to be called Helen Diller Playground, should be complete by Spring 2011.

The city will use $1.75 million in 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond funds to help prepare the flood-prone site for construction. Private donations and a $1.5 million grant from the Mercer Fund secured by FODPP will be used to build the actual playground.

Neighborhood Parks Council has acted as an advocate, fiscal sponsor, and project manager for the Dolores project since its inception, in conjunction with RPD.

The final playground design created by Koch Landscape Architecture (right) integrates the playground into the existing character of the park and neighborhood. “From clusters of old palm trees to wonderful hill sides to beautiful vistas reaching towards downtown and the mountains beyond; this is Dolores Park and the Mission District.” States FODPP on the group’s website.

Helen Diller Playground at Dolores Park


Dolores park Playground


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2010: New West Sunset Playground to be “Town Square” for Sunset District

The Sunset District has traditionally been a densely populated area that many families call home. Sadly, old and dilapidated Sunset Playground and West Sunset Playground have long been the only nearby playgrounds for residents of the central part of the district. While the Sunset Playground is soon to be renovated thanks to the 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, West Sunset Playground had no funding source identified for a new renovation when it first was recognized as failing in 2006.

In early 2008, after their local playground had once again received a failing grade on the Playground Report Card, a group of Sunset parents joined together and founded the Friends of West Sunset Playground (FOWSP). With Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC) as a fiscal sponsor, FOWSP began a campaign to raise enough money to rebuild the playground.

The group started strong, receiving seed grants from PG&E and AT&T. They also held fundraising events meant to build community and garner grassroots support. In late 2009, the group got their big break when long-time FOWSP supporter Supervisor Carmen Chu was able to secure over a million dollars for the project.

The playground is now going through a community design process facilitated by RPD. The Friends group and project architects are envisioning a high-quality playground that joins forces with the nearby public library to create a dynamic “town square” space that brings community members of all ages, ethnicities, and income levels together in harmony. The library is currently under construction, but both the renovated library and new playground are scheduled to open in the spring of 2011.

Conceptual Plan for New West Sunset Playground

Supervisor Chu and NPC Executive Director Meredith Thomas celebrate a grant with a representive of PG&E and core FOWSP member Art Tom.

Old West Sunset Playground


This report was published by the Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC):

Since 1996, NPC has established itself as San Francisco’s premier park advocacy authority, representing more than 100 park groups, over 50 strategic partner organizations, and 4,000+ park volunteers. Our mission and energetic agenda has inspired positive change within our city’s parks. NPC advocates for a superior, equitable and sustainable park and recreation system. NPC provides leadership and support to park users through community-driven stewardship, education, planning and research.

I Love My Playground: “I come here about twice a week with my son and daughter; we live just around the corner. The cushioned surfaces are nice and safe for the kids to play on. I love meeting people from the community who come from all over, and Lucy and Frankie get to communicate with other kids their own age. [They] love playing in the water sprinkler and on the big round swing, and also sliding down the serpent’s back.”

Gareth Maher with Frankie and Lucy, at 24th Street Mini Park

Map of 2010 Playground Grades1 2 3 4

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A

B

D

E

C

A

B

D

E

C

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Map of 2010 San Francisco Playground Grades


Grades:

A = 90%-100%

B = 80%-89%

C = 70%-79%

D = 60%-69%

F = 59% & below

10th & Clement Mini Park A B2 McKinley Square B C4

24th & York Mini Park A C4 Merced Heights Playground C E2

Adam Rogers Park B D5 Michelangelo Playground A A4

Alamo Square A B3 Midtown Terrace Playground A C2

Alice Chalmers B E3 Minnie & Lovie Ward A E2

Alioto Mini Park B C4 Miraloma Playground D D3

Alioto Performing Arts Piazza (N) C B4 Mission Playground A* C3

Alioto Performing Arts Piazza (S) B B4 Moscone Rec Center (East) C A3

Alta Plaza Park A A3 Moscone Rec Center (West) A A3

Aptos Playground A D2 Mountain Lake Park C B2

Argonne Playground B B2 Noe Valley Courts A C3

Balboa Park B* E3 Palega Playground B* D4

Bay View Playground A E4 Palou & Phelps Park B D4

Bernal Heights Rec Center C D4 Panhandle Playground D B3

Boeddeker Park C* B4 Parkside Square B D1

Brooks Park C E2 Parque de los Ninos Unidos A C4

Brotherhood Head Mini-Park B E2 Patricia's Green A B3

Buchanan St. Mall (Fulton) C B3 Peixotto Playground C C3

Buchanan St. Mall (N of Turk) B B3 Portsmouth Square C A4

Buchanan St. Mall (S of Turk) C B3 Potrero del Sol Playground A C4

Buena Vista Park C C3 Potrero Hill Playground A C4

Cabrillo Playground B* B1 Potrero Hill Rec Center C C4

Chinese Rec Center F* A4 Precita Park C D4

Christopher Playground C D3 Randolph Bright Mini Park B E2

Cow Hollow Playground B A3 Richmond Playground C B2

Crocker Amazon (Geneva) A E3 Rochambeau Playground A B2

Crocker Amazon (Italy) F E3 Rolph Nicol Park B D2

Crocker Amazon (La Grande) C E3 Rossi Playground A B2

Dolores Park F* C3 Selby & Palou Mini-Park F D4

Douglass Playground B D3 Sergeant John Macaulay Park C B4

Duboce Park Playground B C3 Silver Terrace Playground C D4

Eureka Valley Playground A C3 SOMA Rec Center B B4

Excelsior Playground C E3 South Park C B4

Franklin Square A C4 South Sunset Playground A D1

Fulton Playground B* B1 St. Mary's Playground A D3

Garfield Square A C4 St. Mary's Square A A4

Gilman Playground D E4 States Street Playground B C3

Glen Canyon Park B* D3 Stern Grove C D2

Golden Gate Heights D C2 Sunnyside Rec Center A D3

Golden Gate Park (Fulton) B B2 Sunset Playground D* C1

Golden Gate Park (Koret) A C2 Tenderloin Rec Center B B4

Golden Gate Park (Lincoln) B C1 Upper Noe Rec Center A D3

Golden Gate Park (Stow Lake) C C2 Victoria Manolo Draves Park A B4

Grattan Playground C C3 Visitacion Valley Greenway A E4

Hamilton Rec Center A B3 Visitacion Valley Playground B E4

Hayward Playground A B3 Walter Haas Playground B D3

Helen Wills Playground A A4 Washington & Hyde Mini Park B A4

Herz Playground D E4 Washington Square D A4

Holly Park Playground A D3 West Portal Playground C D2

Huntington Park B A4 West Sunset Playground D* C1

Hyde & Turk Mini Park B B4 Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Playground C A4

India Basin Shoreline Park D D5 Woh Hei Yuen Park C A4

J.P. Murphy Playground A C2 Youngblood Coleman Playground D D5

Jackson Playground A C4

James Rolph Playground B C4 Closed for Renovation in 3/2010

Joe DiMaggio Playground C A4 Lincoln Park - B1

Jose Coronado Playground B C4 Cayuga Playground - E3

Joseph Lee Rec Center B D4 Hayes Valley Playground - B3

Julius Kahn Playground B A2 Presidio Heights Playground - B3

Junipero Serra Playground A E2

Juri Commons D C3 Cement Slides Only

Kelloch Velasco Park A E4 Seward Mini Park - C3

Kid Power Park A C3 Hilltop Park - D5

Kimbell Playground B* B3

Koshland Park B B3 Playgrounds Removed

Lafayette Park C* A3 McLaren Park (Gambier) - E3

Larsen Park C D2 McLaren Park (Peru) - E3

Laurel Hill Playground D B3 McLaren Park (John Shelley) - E3

Lessing-Sears Mini Park A E2

Little Hollywood Park A E4

Louis Sutter Playground B E4 * Scheduled to be renovated

McCoppin Square A* D2

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