Hundreds of schoolchildren have reported to recreation centers and clubhouses this week for all-day care and free meals as the City responds to the United Educators of San Francisco strike.

To support families, Rec and Park extended its existing afterschool programs to full-day care for nearly 500 children already enrolled, operating at 19 properties across San Francisco, with care provided by familiar staff.

Rec and Park also opened properties across the City to support free meal distribution led by the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF) and community-based partners. Breakfast and lunch are being distributed throughout the day to anyone under 18 at locations across San Francisco, including many Rec and Park sites. A full list can be found here.

DCYF is responsible for food procurement and distribution operations, while Rec and Park is providing facility access and logistical support. The San Francisco Public Library also welcomes students who need a place to study and can support printing independent study packets for SFUSD students free of charge.

Together, these efforts reflect the City’s coordinated response to support children and families during the school closure. Rec and Park will continue to assess operational capacity and communicate updates on fulltime care should the strike continue. For more information, including meal distribution locations, click the link below.

Mayor Daniel Lurie announced this week that activations and programming will continue in Union Square through summer 2027, bringing energy and foot traffic downtown and continuing the city’s economic recovery by building a downtown where people live, work, play and learn.

Over the past year, in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), Rec and Park and the Union Square Alliance, Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corporation (BRV) has played a key role in revitalizing Union Square by introducing new amenities and hosting 429 free programs—from weekly fitness classes and kids’ activities to crafts, chess, cultural performances, live music and Cinema on the Square film screenings.

The continuation of BRV’s work in Union Square delivers on a promise in Mayor Lurie’s “Heart of the City” executive directive aimed at strengthening San Francisco’s downtown and accelerating the city's economic comeback. Learn more at the link below. 

Nominations are open for Rec and Park’s Community Opportunity Fund, a program that supports community-driven park improvement projects across the city.

To apply, attending a pre-application workshop is mandatory. The last pre-application workshop is Saturday, February 21 with the workshop registration deadline this Saturday, February 14.

Review the application materials and sign up for a pre-application workshop at the link below.

Professional boxer Willie Shaw Jr. was raised in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, growing up participating in local Rec and Park programs. At Potrero Hill Recreation Center, he found activities, safe spaces and mentors who played a key role in his development. The center became his second home, where he built friendships and also competed in sports such as basketball, boxing and football, the latter of which was his first passion.

He attended Thurgood Marshall High School in San Francisco’s Silver Terrace neighborhood, where he played football as a safety and wide receiver, with dreams of reaching the NFL. When that path didn't materialize, Shaw returned to boxing and reconnected with a familiar mentor, Emmanuel Blackwell, a longtime Rec and Park coach whose resume includes training another San Francisco native and professional boxer, Raquel Miller.

Under Blackwell’s guidance, Shaw transitioned fully into the sport, honing his skills and building his reputation. He made his professional debut in 2017 with a win and now holds a 15-7 record with 10 knockouts. Shaw credits the discipline and work ethic he developed through Rec and Park programs for helping him reach the professional ranks.

Today, his journey has come full circle. When he's not in the ring, Shaw teaches free boxing classes for all ages, which has included programs at India Basin Waterfront Park and Potrero Hill Recreation Center. His goal is to give back to the community that shaped him by empowering youth, promoting healthy habits and building confidence and connection through the sport. 

Thank you, Willie, for inspiring the next generation of San Franciscan athletes and for your commitment to the community. Stay tuned for his next boxing class.

Congratulations to the eight graduates of the 2025 Mario De La Torre Urban Reforestation Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The program, based out of India Basin Waterfront Park, celebrated its first cohort with a special ceremony at City Hall last month.

Launched in January 2025 in partnership with Rec and Park, the San Francisco Human Services Agency, Laborers Local 261, and the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, this paid program serves San Francisco residents receiving public benefits. It provides hands-on training in tree planting, care and landscape maintenance while building clear pathways into union apprenticeship and employment.

During its first year, the program grew from five to 10 pre-apprentices, with two promoted to the Gardener Apprentice Program ahead of graduation. Participants completed extensive technical and professional training and supported the planting of more than 100 trees and 300 shrubs across 10 sites in the southeast part of the city, while also contributing to projects citywide. This work advances the program’s long-term goal of planting and maintaining 415 trees while strengthening San Francisco’s green workforce.

We’re grateful for this cohort’s dedication to San Francisco’s parks and look forward to their continued professional growth.

We're excited to share that the Marview Trail restoration project is now complete! The work improves the connection from Marview Way to the Twin Peaks Boulevard Promenade and makes the trail safer and more accessible. Updates include a smoother and more natural trail alignment, new split-rail fencing, better drainage to reduce flooding and erosion, and restoration of nearby areas. Thank you to Supervisor Myrna Melgar and the Midtown Terrace Homeowners Association for making this project possible!

In collaboration with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Surfrider's San Francisco Chapter, Rec and Park helped to revegetate two acres of coastal dunes. More than 150 volunteers recently transplanted over 900 native beach wildrye to increase biodiversity and enhance the resilience of the San Francisco coastline at Ocean Beach, harnessing the power of nature to fight the effects of climate change on our coasts.

This project, guided by the report from San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI), "Growing Resilience: Recommendations for Dune Management at North Ocean Beach”, is a nature-based solution to strengthen the coastline and support a healthier coastal ecosystem. Learn more at the link below.

Photo credit: Guru Khalsa

Martin Luther King Jr. Pool has closed for its annual maintenance and replastering of the smaller wading pool. The facility will reopen on Tuesday, February 24. Note that the contractor will continue work on the wading pool after the facility reopens, but this will not impact access to the larger pool.

During this closure, please visit nearby Garfield Pool (1271 Treat Avenue) or Balboa Pool (51 Havelock Street). View a full list of City pools at the link below.

California is experiencing an outbreak of severe illness and deaths associated with people accidentally picking and eating poisonous wild mushrooms, specifically Death Cap and Western Destroying Angel mushrooms. Cases have increased in the Bay Area, and residents are strongly advised not to consume wild mushrooms. Learn more and stay up to date at the link below.

Looking for a Valentine's Day idea? Magnificent Magnolias are in peak bloom at the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue), where more than 200 trees are in bloom with saucer-sized pink, white and magenta flowers through March.

In honor of the Magnolias' peak bloom, there will be daily magnolia-themed events starting on Valentine's Day through February 22, ranging from live music, children's theater, poetry and more. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link below. 

Swing by Alemany Farm (700 Alemany Boulevard) for its Winter Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop on Saturday, February 14 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This class will focus on apple and stone fruit trees, with attendees learning the basics of tree biology and care to support healthy, productive growth. For more information and to register, click the link below. 

Attend the San Francisco Rose Society's presentation on the Save the Ramblers Initiative at the Hall of Flowers (1199 9th Avenue) in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, February 15 beginning at 1 p.m. Jai Alltizer of Alexander Nurseries and Garden Designs will share an overview of his landscape and nursery work before discussing the national Save the Ramblers Initiative. Led by the American Rose Society and American Rose Center, the initiative aims to preserve endangered rambler roses by returning them to gardens and nurseries. For more information, click the link below.

Join the Peace Parks program for its annual Black History Month celebration at Potrero Hill Recreation Center (801 Arkansas Street) on Thursday, February 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will honor Black culture with music, food and community activities. For more information, contact the center at (415) 695-5009.

Mobile Rec’s new winter schedule is here, with a stop at Rochambeau Playground (238 25th Avenue) on Saturday, February 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Skateboards and scooters will be provided. For more information, click the link below.

Serve up something new at St. Mary’s Recreation Center (95 Justin Drive) with drop-in Teqball. Experience one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, blending the precision of soccer with the strategy of table tennis. Games take place on the center athletic field on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the center at (415) 695-5006.

Magnificent Magnolias are in peak bloom at the San Francisco Botanical Garden (1199 9th Avenue). Our Video of the Week comes from the garden and Bay Explorer and offers a look at peak bloom. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link below. 

Job Openings

Rec and Park Gear

Volunteer with Us!

San Francisco Recreation and Parks | sfrecpark.org