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NEWS FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO PARKS ALLIANCE
December 2014
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What do your parks give you?
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Today is Giving Tuesday, a national movement created to help us all keep focused on what's most important.
Here at the Parks Alliance, we're thinking about all of the many ways our parks enhance the quality of life here in San Francisco. Last month, we told you about a new report that counts the economic benefits of our parks (about $1 billion in economic value each year!). But there are so many other things, too: natural beauty, places to picnic, exercise and play, habitats for a diverse group of plants and animals, and ways to connect with each other through volunteering and other activities.  This year on Giving Tuesday, we chose to highlight our Street Parks program on its 10th anniversary -- it's a partnership with the City's Department of Public Works that helps green our neighborhoods and build civic pride. Over the past decade, 125 formerly forlorn spots like Pennsylvania Gardens in Potrero Hill, Progress Park in Dogpatch, Hidden Garden Steps in the Sunset or Mayflower Garden on Bernal Hill have been transformed. Visiting these sites, you can see wonderful forces at work: new plants taking root, people volunteering and the City becoming just a little more beautiful. Our goal is to raise $4,000 today to support this wonderful program. As you take a break from shopping to ponder what's most important in your life, please visit our Indiegogo page to learn more about the Street Parks program and make a donation. All Giving Tuesday donors will receive a free one-year SF Parks Alliance membership! Membership benefits include passes to the Conservatory of Flowers, and discounts at popular merchants like Sports Basement and the Beach Chalet and Park Chalet restaurants. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season -  Chief Executive OfficerSF Parks Alliance
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 Construction Under Way at Lincoln Park Steps
The Richmond District will soon have its own beautiful mosaic tile stairway, at the end of California St. just west of 32nd Avenue!
The beautiful mosaic tiles, created by artist Aileen Barr are currently being installed and already look stunning. Ms. Barr worked with Colette Crutcher on two other tile stairway projects in the Sunset: the Hidden Garden Steps at 16th Ave. and Kirkham Street, as well as an earlier installation at 16th Ave. and Moraga Street.
The staircase, which serves as a gateway to the Lincoln Park golf course, the Legion of Honor and Land's End, will be completed and reopened early next year. Congratulations to our Park Partner Friends of Lincoln Park Steps, which conceived of the project and raised the necessary funds.
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Consider a timely tax deduction for 2014
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 A charitable gift annuity provides you with . . .
-Guaranteed fixed payments for life;
-An immediate income tax deduction;
-Partially tax-free payments and capital gains bypass;
-The satisfaction of making a gift to the Parks Alliance.
To find out your tax and payment benefits, call our planned giving specialist Phil Murphy at 415-457-7482 or pgphil@earthlink.net for a confidential gift annuity analysis with no obligation. For more information about charitable gift annuities, click here.
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1% For The Planet
 SFPA is now a partner of 1% for the Planet -- an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet.
Do you work for a 1% for the Planet business? You can get your business to make the SF Parks Alliance a beneficiary!
Learn more at onepercentfortheplanet.org
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Donate your car to support the SF Parks Alliance
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Failing Playgrounds Task Force
The Task Force reviewed the Final Report on November 18th. The list of 13 playgrounds prioritized for renovation will go to the RPD Full Commission on December 18th.
The Parks Alliance will be working with members of the Task Force to hold a playground design forum in February (date TBD). The design forum will be a public meeting to bring together parents, landscape architects, child development experts and anyone interested in play to set design standards for the bond renovations.
Community Opportunity Fund 2014/15 - Round 5 Workshops
The Community Opportunity Fund Program gives neighborhoods, community groups, and park lovers an opportunity to make a difference in their favorite parks. The Recreation and Parks Department and the Parks Alliance are hosting four workshops over the next two months to help you prepare your project and your application. Attendance at one of these workshops is mandatory for groups applying for funds Applications will be due in April 2015. To get started, attend one of these upcoming mandatory applicant workshops to find out how to get started:
Saturday, December 6, 2014 10:00 am - 12:00 pm County Fair Building - Rec Room
Thursday, December 11, 2014 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Joe Lee Recreation Center - Multipurpose Room 2
PARK PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Holiday Honey Sale at the Bee Farm!  Looking for a hyper-local holiday gift or want to help a project that supports SF pollinators? Come to one of the Holiday Honey Sales at The Bee Farm on San Bruno Ave (@Ordway) on Sun Dec 7 or Sat Dec 13, 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Honey will be available in attractive glass "queenline" style jars in two sizes 1/2 lb ($10) and 1 lb ($15), cash only. Kids get a free sticker and honey straw. When you come to The Bee Farm, you can see the honey bee colonies that produced the honey and meet some of the beekeepers who tended those colonies during 2014. You also can see and hear what we are doing to further our "cause" to help support our local native bees and honey bees!
Visit SF Bee-Cause for more information.
This past semester Academy of Art University landscape architecture students have been creating conceptual plans for a street park site being developed by Ridge Lane Neighbors. Students will present their final site designs Friday, Dec. 12th, at 12 noon at the 601 Brannan AAU campus.
S'mores and Stories at NOMADgarden, Friday, Dec 12, 7-10PM
In partnership with Feastly, NOMADgarden is hosting a unique night in their Mission Bay oasis that will be full of delicious s'mores, mulled wine, and inspiring stories. NOMAD's founder, Stephanie Goodson, will be telling the story of NOMADgarden's start-up and history. This event also be a great time to meet your neighbors or other local gardeners and foodies. We hope to see you there!
Joe DiMaggio Playground: Bimbo's Event
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 6:00 - 9:00 PM Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus Avenue Help support the Joe DiMaggio Playground renovation by joining us at this classic, only-in-North Beach event at Bimbo's Club 365. The night will feature local music star GG Amos and treats from Original Joe's, Mama's, Tony's Pizza Napoletana, Park Tavern, and other North Beach favorites in one of San Francisco's most iconic venues - a great memorable North Beach evening! Click here to purchase a ticket.
Last month's fundraiser for Potrero Gateway Park (The Loop) was a big success! Photos here.
OTHER EVENTS
Blue Greenway: The Recreation and Parks Department will be holding a community meeting on December 2nd at the Eco Center at Herons Head Park at 6PM to inform the public of an application for an EPA Brownfields grant for clean up of 900 Innes. The community will have the opportunity to comment on the grant application and a preliminary conceptual clean-up plan. Visit this link for more information.
A heavily used informal path exists between Walter Haas Park and Billy Goat Hill. Rec and Park is considering making improvements to this path area, but needs your input. Please join us to review and provide feedback on potential improvements.
DATE: Wednesday, December 10, 2014
TIME: 7:00-8:30pm
LOCATION: Upper Noe Rec Center, Sanchez and Day Streets
Visit this link for more information.
Reopening of Father Alfred E. Boeddeker Park and Clubhouse
WHAT: Community celebration with activities, games, and music
DATE: Wednesday, December 10
TIME: 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Groundbreaking ceremony and speakers at 2 pm)
LOCATION: 246 Eddy Street, at Jones
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1663 Mission Street, Suite 320, SF 94103
(415) 621-3260
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SF Parks Alliance now on Instagram! 
