This week, Rec and Park announced that its General Manager Phil Ginsburg has been selected as the next president of the Resources Legacy Fund. Ginsburg will leave the City at the end of the year, concluding a long career in public service that saw him transform San Francisco’s parks and open spaces during 16 years at the helm of the department.

Ginsburg was appointed in July of 2009 by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom and went on to serve under six mayors. As General Manager, he reshaped San Francisco parks into one of the nation’s most admired urban park systems. Under Ginsburg’s leadership San Francisco became the first city in the country where every resident lives within a 10-minute walk of a park or open space.

Ginsburg also established a first-in-the-state apprenticeship program for gardeners, spearheaded the transformation of the India Basin waterfront and its Equitable Development Plan, built a new generation of playgrounds, expanded youth sports opportunities and access, grew the Department’s park ranger division, converted UN Plaza into a safe space for skating, brought exciting special events to parks, transformed the JFK Promenade and Sunset Dunes into thriving public spaces, and much more.

Thank you Phil for your leadership and we wish you the best of luck! Learn more about Phil's legacy in our parks at the link below. 

City kids will soon be climbing, sliding, and exploring on refreshed play surfaces thanks to $1.68 million in funding approved last week to resurface six playgrounds. Combined with other recently funded projects, a total of 14 playgrounds will be resurfaced by fall 2026.

The Recreation and Park Commission approved the allocation from the Open Space Fund’s Deferred Maintenance Reserve to replace worn play surfaces and make minor equipment upgrades at Sunset and St. Mary’s recreation centers, McCoppin and St. Mary’s squares, Mission Playground, and Potrero Hill Upper Play Area.

These projects join eight other resurfacing projects already funded. With more than 150 playgrounds citywide, Rec and Park focuses its resources on those most in need, guided by safety considerations, the age and condition of equipment, and staff observations in the field. For more information, click the link below. 

Join us for Garden Resource Day on Saturday, September 27. Note that this program has a new location at HuntersPointSF (155 Jennings Street) and pre-registration is now required to attend. Adults may register for one time slot at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. or noon; youth sign in on-site. Register for a time slot at this link.  

Compost is limited to two buckets per registered adult with no mulch available for the September 27 event. For more information on the changes to Garden Resource Days moving forward, click the link below. 

We're inviting the community to share feedback on the current park features through our Sunset Dunes survey, which is live and open through the end of the year. Let us know what’s working, what’s not, and what you'd love to see more of at Sunset Dunes.

We will use your feedback to keep improving the current park experience and for future planning purposes. This 2025 community engagement process, along with site feasibility studies, will support a visioning and planning process to begin in 2026.

Additionally, we will be hosting an open house on Saturday, September 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sunset Dunes and Taraval Street. It will feature live music, activities such as Zumba and trivia, giveaways, and an opportunity to help shape the future of the park. RSVP for the open house at this link.

For translation, language or accessibility services, contact Pete Moore at pete.j.moore@sfgov.org or (415) 496-6204. For more information, click the link below. 

Join Rec and Park for a groundbreaking event at the Tenderloin Children’s Playground (570 Ellis Street) on Wednesday, October 1 at 9:30 a.m. The celebration marks the beginning of a new era for this popular neighborhood play space, which will transform into a nature-based, multi-functional space that balances active play, nature exploration, and quiet relaxation.

The project is a partnership with KABOOM!, the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund, Crankstart, Wu Yee Children’s Services, CalFire, San Francisco Children and Nature, the Low Income Investment Fund and the Department of Early Childhood. For more information, click the link below. 

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the free annual music festival, returns to Golden Gate Park on Friday, October 3 and runs through Sunday, October 5 at Hellman Hollow, and Lindley and Marx meadows. Featuring more than 70 artists across six stages, the lineup includes Lucinda Williams, Courtney Barnett, Samara Joy, Robert Earl Keen, String Cheese Incident and more. For more information, including the full lineup, click the link below.

When the Parks Alliance broke its promises to San Francisco’s parks, small community groups were hit hardest. Thanks to philanthropic support, their projects—from Esprit Park to the Glen Park Greenway—are back on track. Rec and Park stands with them, and we thank them for standing with San Francisco’s parks. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle at the link below. 

(Photo Credit: Santiago Mejia)

Construction at India Basin Shoreline Park (IBSP) has begun! The park is closed and fenced through early 2028, with construction noise, intermittent street and sidewalk closures, and pedestrian detours expected.

Please note that Bay Trail access between the PG&E Shoreline and India Basin Waterfront Park (IBWP) at 900 Innes will be closed; please use alternate routes.

This is the third and final phase of the IBWP project, which will renovate IBSP and connect it with the new park at 900 Innes Avenue to create a continuous 10-acre waterfront park. Learn more about the project at the link below. 

Transverse Drive in Golden Gate Park will be under construction between the JFK Promenade and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive for pavement and striping work from October 13 to 17. One lane will remain open for two-way traffic during the day from approximately 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with full access restored after work hours. Bicyclists should share the open lane with vehicles when using. Please consider using alternate routes such as Chain of Lakes Drive or Crossover Drive during daytime hours.

Swing by the Goldman Tennis Center (50 Bowling Green Drive) in Golden Gate Park for the Kunal Patel San Francisco (KPSF) Open running through September 28, where top tennis talent will be competing. It will feature a vendor village with food, treats and retail booths on some tournament days, as well as world-class tennis.

The KPSF Open was created in honor of Kunal Patel after his life was tragically cut short at the age of 27. In memory of Kunal's love for the game and his passion for the sport as a fan, his family established the annual KPSF Open. For more information, including the tournament schedule, click the link below. 

Join us for free concerts with Illuminate Live in Golden Gate Park and Fulton Plaza. See upcoming shows below:  

Fulton Plaza (Fulton Street between Larkin and Hyde streets)

Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive)

The Whale's Tail (JFK Promenade at the 14th Avenue East Meadow)

For the full concert schedule, click the link below.

The San Francisco Standard has relaunched Sundown Cinema with two free outdoor screenings. Catch "La La Land" on Thursday, September 25 at Dolores Park (Dolores and 19th streets). Gates open at 6 p.m. with the film starting after sunset. Enjoy food trucks, community fun and a chance to win reserved seating. Dress warm and take public transit. For more information and to RSVP, click the link below. 

Join the Francisco Park Conservancy for a storytime at the Francisco Park (Bay and Larkin streets) main lawn on Friday, September 26 from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Bring your little ones along with a blanket and a snack. 

Additionally, there will be community yoga class on Sunday, September 28 from 10 to 11 a.m. Bring a yoga mat, blanket, or towel and meet on the lawn for some morning movement. This event is open to the community with all levels welcome. For more information, click the link below.

Join the Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center (295 Day Street), Upper Noe Neighbors and the Friends of Upper Noe Dog Owners Group for their Upper Noe Block Party on Saturday, September 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be music, food, children's activities, recreational activities, and more. For more information, click the link below.

Join All the Way Live Foundation at Fulton Plaza (Fulton Street between Larkin and Hyde streets) for its Hip Hop Dance Festival on Saturday, September 27 from noon to 6 p.m. This free event will feature dance competitions with prize money, as well as local artists, kids' activities, food trucks, vendor market, live DJs and more! For more information and to RSVP, click the link below.

Check out the Harvey Milk Photo Center's (50 Scott Street) Member, Staff, and Volunteer Show, which is on display through October 4. The exhibit showcases the best work from the center's darkrooms and digital lab, highlighting each photographer's top piece across a wide, dynamic range of subjects. Come out to meet the artists, with the last event on Saturday, September 27 at 3 p.m. Hear them talk about their work and ask questions in this informal gallery setting. For more information, click the link below.

Join the Golden Gate Park Band for its season finale on Sunday, September 28 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Golden Gate Bandshell (75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive). Music Director and Conductor Dr. German Gonzalez will lead the band’s final 2025 performance, a show dedicated to thanking its supporters and attendees. For more information, click the link below.

Check out the open archery range at Mission Recreation Center (2450 Harrison Street). It takes place on Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m. through December 18. There will be paper and 3D targets with all bow and arrow types welcome. Equipment for loan will also be available. Get some practice in ahead of the Golden Gate Park Halloween Archery Tournament on Sunday, October 26! For more information and to sign up for a session, click the link below.

Join the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts (50 Scott Street) for its workshop on how to bring light and color into your artwork on Saturday, September 27 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The class, designed for ages 12 to 17, will guide students through using acrylics to add brightness, shadows, and depth while exploring how light shapes what we see. For more information and to sign up, click the link below.

Our Video of the Week comes from SFGovTV and highlights the skate area at Sunset Dunes. It showcases Rec and Park staff and campers in action, while also highlighting the Department’s Shred and Butter program, which teaches local youth the fundamentals of skating. Designed for all skill levels, the new skate features opened this summer. Learn more at the link below. 

(Photo Credit: Brandon Irvin)

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