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| DUBOCE PARK UPDATE – SEPT. 10, 2015
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| (1) 18TH ANNUAL TAG SALE SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12
From the looks of the donations that have been dropped off at the truck on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, this may be the most successful Tag Sale yet. There are lots of items from neighbors who clearly have great taste.
Shop early at our 18th Annual Tag Sale this Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Join the fun, socialize with your neighbors, and find a bargain that you just can’t resist. The familiar yellow rental truck will remain parked near the Noe-Duboce Muni stop for the rest of the week and will continue to accept donations tonight and tomorrow night from 5:30-7 p.m. and before 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Here’s a short list of items that can be donated: books, videos, clothes, linens, furniture, kitchen items, baskets, decorative, seasonal, sporting goods, toys, collectibles, and more.
Unfortunately, there are items that we cannot accept because Goodwill will not accept them (we take our leftover items there) and no one else wants them: items that are stained, torn, or broken; large appliances (washers, dishwashers, refrigerators); small non-working appliances (microwaves, toasters); non-working electronics; non-digital TVs, non-flat screen TVs; baby cribs; bed pillows, mattresses and water beds; snow skis; oil-based cleaning supplies, paints and thinners; computers, peripherals, and manuals; auto parts and tires; sinks and showers; piping; water heaters; bath tubs; stained carpets; and, infant and baby car seats.
Volunteers are always needed on the day of the Tag Sale: to help set up at 7 a.m.; salespeople for either the 9-11:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. shifts; and, a recycle and breakdown crew from 1-2:30 p.m. All proceeds are used for improvements or activities in Duboce Park.
This event is always fun there are always great bargains. If you have any questions, would like to volunteer, or need help getting your donations to the Tag Sale, please e-mail Rosie at rose@friendsofdubocepark.org or at Doug at doug@friendsofdubocepark.org. See you on Saturday.
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| (2) NEXT VOLUNTEER DAY SATURDAY OCTOBER 10
Join the Friends of Duboce Park at our next volunteer day on Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m.-noon. We will meet in front at the planting circle at Pierce Street and will be supervised by a Rec & Park gardener with all supplies, tools, and gloves provided. 30 minutes or an hour of your time makes a big difference in the appearance of our park. The September 12 volunteer day has been cancelled since it is the same day as our annual Tag Sale.
A special thanks to the volunteers who helped out at our August volunteer day by weeding and planting in the Pierce St. planting circle. Volunteers from the first block of Pierce St., which dead ends at Duboce Park, will continue beautification efforts in the circle at our next volunteer day on October 10. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org or 415-255-8370 for more information or with any questions or comments. Our volunteer day is always the second Saturday of every month.
San Franciscan residents contributed more than 184,000 hours in 2014 in volunteer service in San Francisco parks. City departments, state and federal agencies, community partners, local businesses, philanthropic foundations and individuals, have helped Rec and Park make much needed renovations to city facilities and provided more than 7,000 program scholarships valued at over $1 to San Francisco residents.
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| (3) BARK IN THE PARK SATURDAY OCTOBER 10
The 2015 San Francisco Fleet Week’s “Bark at the Park” event is a celebration of working canines that help to improve the lives of the people that they protect and serve. This unique and family-friendly event features heroic dogs from the San Francisco Police Dept., the San Francisco Fire Dept., US Customs and Border Patrol, the U.S. Marine Corp, Canine Companions for Independence and many more.
Working canines like the ones you’ll learn about at this event are more than just patrol dogs. These incredible animals have the ability to perform search and rescues, climb ladders, match humans to their scent, and make everyday tasks easier for their owners with access and functional needs.
Floyd of the US Customs and Border Patrol, Dept. of Homeland Security for instance, is a 6-year old beagle that hangs out at SFO and combs luggage for food and plant items being brought into the country that could affect our agricultural system stateside. He’ll be approaching his 10,000th find during Fleet Week. Come out and meet Floyd as well as see many more amazing capabilities by these talented, loving, and intelligent pooches.
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Many of the lawn areas are brown and some areas around benches are down to dirt. This is the result of state and city mandated water cutbacks and also part of Rec and Park’s new “Brown is the New Green” campaign to remind park users of the very good reason for the dry, brown areas. Rec and Park cut water use by 25% last year through a variety of measures that include a shorter sprinkler schedule, improved irrigation, planting drought-tolerant vegetation and using recycled water on gold courses. On “Water Free Wednesdays,” irrigation is shut off completely. The predicted wet winter season will return most of the brown areas back to green.
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The El Nino Forecast this winter may bring some much-needed rain to parched California, but the weather could also delay a number of long-waited projects in San Francisco. Rec and Park is evaluating the potential impacts of harsh winter storms on nearly two dozen projects, including Dolores Park. Other projects that could be most impacted by rain include various parks that are set to begin construction this fall, including Mountain Lake, Gilman, South Park, and 17th and Folsom playgrounds. North Beach’s Joe DiMaggio Playground and Beach Chalet soccer fields in Golden Gate Park also face a slight chance of delays from rain.
Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg said the projects include a contingency budget, which accounts for more than two weeks of rain. “The issue is if we get a lot of rain really fast, and there is a lot of runoff, “ Ginsburg said. “It can results in erosion, tree failures, and some flooding.”
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An area in the Dog Play/Multi-Use Area and antoher area at the bottom of the knoll were recently repaired with new sod, dirt, and seed. Temporary fences have been put up around the most heavily worn areas in an effort to allow the sod and seed to take hold.
Sand from the playground sandbox continues to spill onto the pedestrian pathway and MUNI boarding area sidewalk. Part of the problem is sand collects and builds up around the planted areas near the sand box and benches and eventually becomes higher than the barrier at the bottom of the fence.
Graffiti remains a constant problem and Rec and Park does a good job of removing it within 24-48 hours of receiving a report…new graffiti that regularly appears on the MTA construction barriers and equipment along Duboce Avenue is also usually removed within a few days of being reported. … one of the toad stools in the playground has been broken and unusable since January and remains covered with an orange construction cone (see item 5 below).
All of the problems listed above were reported on the SF311 app or in an email report to Rec and Park. You can always also just dial 311 rather than using the app or email. Ever wonder why it takes so long so get relatively minor problems fixed? Read on…
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| (5) WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO GET THINGS FIXED?
Sometimes it seems like nothing gets repaired in Duboce Park. As mentioned above, we have been complaining about a broken stool in the playground since January and yet nothing has been done about it. It took over a year to get some skateboard stops installed on curbs around the Recreation Center. Why do these things take so long?
We asked Dennis Kern, RPD’s Director of Operations, about this and he explained that complaints and problems are prioritized into four tiers of maintenance in the RPD system. “Emergency” calls, like a broken pipe, are the most important and are taken care of immediately. “Health and Safety issues” are normally handled within 48 hours of receiving a complaint as are “Water Conservation” and “Graffiti” problems. "Routine" repairs, like the broken playground stool, are usually the lowest priorities on the work order list although Kern does have some flexibility and “individual crafts can work on multiple tiers of work orders simultaneously. “
Structural Maintenance takes care of most of the problems we see in parks. That Rec and Park department has 100 full time employees in ten different crafts: plumbing and steamfitters, carpenters, painters, electricians, stationary engineers, iron works, sheet metal workers, cement masons, roofers, and heavy equipment operators.
Kern noted that “deferred maintenance” is not the same as “routine maintenance” and only applies to park infrastructure that remains in place beyond their normal life cycle, like an outdated and broken irrigation system. The total is for “deferred maintenance” is an unbelievable $2 billion.
Don’t forget to call 311 when you see a problem in the park. Thanks for your help in helping to keep our park looking great.
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| (6) JEFFREY BLANKFORT PHOTO CENTER OPENING RECEPTION SEPTEMBER 12
The long awaited photography retrospective of Jeffrey Blankfort’s illustrious career, Jeffrey Blankfort – 60 Years Behind the Camera, opens with a Opening Reception on Saturday September 12, 1-5 p.m. Blankfort was living in Marin in 1967 and was so determined to become a photographer that he joined the San Francisco Photo Center (now the Harvey Milk Photo Center). He went there two or three nights a week to teach himself the craft. Blankfort readily acknowledged “Without this Photo Center, I would probably have given up my dream of becoming a photographer.”
At the end at the end of 1966, he resumed taking photos of the growing movements of the period that he had begun doing two years earlier, documenting the sit-ins at Market Street’s Sheraton Palace and at the Cadillac Agency on Van Ness that succeeded in breaking the city’s racist hiring practices. Now it was the expanding anti-Vietnam war movement and the emergence of the Black Panthers that caught his attention. In 1968, he was singled out by Esquire as the 60s most important “movement” photographer.
Over the years, these photos have been published in books, magazines, and newspapers throughout the world, but there is another side of Blankfort’s work that, while in museums, is less well known, and which the Harvey Milk Photo Center is featuring in this retrospective from the nearly five decades during which he has been taking pictures. More information is available here.
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(7) PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES STARTING IN SEPTEMBER
29 new Fall photo classes are being offered at the Photo Center starting in September. Artistic Development classes include: Zine Making (Hand-Made Books), starting September 29; Developing Your Personal Vision, September 30; and, Matting Framing, and Presenting Your Photos, October 3. The Natural Lighting Workshop will be taught on September 26.
There are six classes that cover Digital Shooting and Printing: Ultimate Lightroom 101 Expedition, on September 19-20; Intro to Adobe Lightroom 5, starting on September 30; Street Photography Workshop North Beach, September 28. Learn more your digital SLR camera by taking Level 1: Getting to Know Your Digital SLR Camera, starting on September 29 or October 1.
Want to learn how to take better pictures with your iPhone? Secrets of iPhone Photography 1 starts September 14 and Secrets of iPhone Photography 2 starts on September 28. You can also learn about Liquid Emulsion Printing on Glass, Mirrors, & Metal, starting on September 19.
If you want more information on the courses, times and costs, pickup the catalogue of classes at the Photo Center or visit harveymilkphotocenter.org. You can register at sfreconline.org or at the Photo Center.
Remember, the one-hour Photography Center Orientation is a required course for all potential members of the Photo Center. The next Orientations will be offered from 1-2 p.m. on the following Saturdays: September 26, October 3, and November 14.
The Photo Center is looking for volunteers to help run their wet darkroom and digital lab. Contact the Center at 554-9522 to sign up. Established volunteers are welcome to take a complimentary course of their choosing each season.
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| (8) PARKS AND RECREATION IN THE NEWS
Looking for something teenage kids can do on Sunday, October 4? How about sailing on the bay for a day? Spots are still available for this special opportunity for boys and girls ages 13-15.
Register for this FREE event online at sfreconline.org or by calling 415-831-6800. Sponsored by the St. Francis Yacht Club, Call of the Sea and SF Rec and Park.
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Girls baseball clinics for players ages 8-13 will be held at Palega Recreation Center (500 Felton St.) on three upcoming Saturdays, September 12, October 17 and November 7, from 9-11 a.m. Clinics are open to all girls and will include skill development like throwing, catching, base running and hitting. For more information or to register, email rachelle.henley@sfgov.org.
Join the Urban Agriculture Program and partners for Urban Ag Academy: Grow It, Preserve It, Love It! This one-day, free event will feature demonstration classes on gardening and garden-infrastructure, workshops on fermenting and canning food, tips to
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being a successful grower in San Francisco, access and information to expert resources for all levels of gardener, and many fun opportunities to network and meet like-minded urban agriculture enthusiasts and practitioners. SF County Fair Building, 9th and Irving, Saturday, September 12, 2015, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival's Free Shakespeare in the Park is coming to the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater at McLaren Park! Romeo and Juliet plays Sept 19-27 on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. All are invited to bring family, friends, a blanket and a picnic to enjoy professional theater at no charge in a beautiful park setting! This engaging introduction to Romeo and Juliet is fun for all ages!
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(9) FALL CLASSES BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER
Create Your Own Comic Book is one 33 new classes starting at the Harvey Milk Recreation Center in September. This is an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of creating a comic book from start to finish. Writing, drawing, inking, printing, marketing, and more will be discussed. Previous art skills are recommended. The course takes place on Saturdays, from September 14 to November 11.
Other courses being offered at the Harvey Milk Recreation Center include art courses for tots and youth; dance classes for youth and adults; courses in digital arts and new media; music lessons; textiles, sewing and knitting for youth and adults; theater and performing arts for youth; tot space; and, yoga. Click here to browse the catalog of offerings. For more information, please contact melissa.kessor@sfgov.org.
You can register at sfreconline.org or in person at the Harvey Milk Recreation Center. You can also pickup the 2015 Fall Activities Guide in the Recreation lobby. The catalogue offers course descriptions, times, and costs. There are courses for everyone: tots; youth, tweens & teens; adults; and, adults 55 and older.
Recreation and Parks offers Recreation Scholarships to eligible individuals and families. More than $1 million in scholarships in Rec and Parks programs has been provided. Ongoing eligibility is dependent on attendance record. Please call Lillian Bautista, Scholarship Coordinator, at 831-2717 for information on how to qualify.
(10) JOIN FRIENDS OF DUBOCE PARK
Annual Membership dues for a Supporting Member are $25 per person and entitle you to voting privileges and participation in the governance of the organization. Your dues help cover the few costs we have, such as our website, newsletter, movie nights, and insurance.
Your tax deductible membership is gratefully accepted and should be sent to Friends of Duboce Park, 71 Scott Street, San Francisco, CA 94117. Friends of Duboce Park are a 501(c) (3) organization. General Membership is still available at no cost but does not carry any voting privileges. Another way to show your support is by getting involved. If you are interested, please contact President Doug Woo at doug@friendsofdubocepark.org.
Our Mission Statement includes the following: "to organize and represent the collective interests regarding Duboce Park; to beautify and promote safety within Duboce Park; and, to initiate and/or support beneficial neighborhood projects on behalf of Duboce Park."
(11) SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER CALENDAR
Saturday, September 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 18th Annual Friends of Duboce Park Tag Sale. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org or 415-255-8370.
Saturday, September 12, 1-5 p.m. Opening Reception: Jerry Blankfort – 60 Years Behind the Camera. Visit harveymilkphotocenter.org.
Sunday, September 13, noon-6 p.m. Duboce Triangle Street Party. Noe Street from Henry to 14th Street. Visit dtna.org.
Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact Rose at rose@friendsofdubocepark.org or 415-55-8370.
Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Bark at the Park – K9 Heroes. Duboce Park. Contact fleetweek.sf.org/bark.
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