FRIENDS OF DUBOCE PARK UPDATE - AUGUST 12, 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

(1) REPORT FROM COMMUNITY MEETING AUGUST 7

(2) 11TH ANNUAL TAG SALE SEPTEMBER 13

(3) NPC GALA IN DUBOCE PARK SEPTEMBER 17

(4) YOUTH PLAY AREA DESIGN DAY A BIG SUCCESS

(5) MAINTENACE REPORT, NEXT VOLUNTEER DAY

(6) DOG PLAY AREA/MULTI-USE AREA UPDATE

(7) JOIN FRIENDS OF DUBOCE PARK

(8) SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER CALENDAR

(1) REPORT FROM AUGUST 7 COMMUNITY MEETING 

Harvey Milk Recreation Center Renovations 72% Complete

Renovations are 72% complete and the Rec Center should open in the 1st quarter of 2009. Here's what been done so far: HVAC; electrical; installation of interior lighting; sheetrock installation; interior painting; and, 95% of the exterior painting. Here's what remains to be done: tiling restrooms;  "storefront installations;" exterior lighting footings; conduit trenching; acoustic ceiling; elevator installation; east outside wall lighting; grand staircase; extensive pathway work; and, photography studio processing sinks. 

It was acknowledged that the color of the letters on the quote from Harvey Milk on the east wall needs to be addressed since they are difficult to see. The Art Commission is responsible for the art component of the building renovations and will be doing something to correct the situation.  The landscaping plan around the Center has not been finalized is still under discussion. A 10' lighting fixture to match the poles along the pedestrian path will replace the 30' light pole that was originally specified for the Scott St. side of the building. 

Despite both the community and Supervisor Dufty's office repeatedly requestingfor the reopening of the basketball court, the contractor is not willing to release control of the basketball court because of liability concerns. The contractor will repair damage to the court that they have caused.

Recreation Center Survey

The community was invited to complete a survey to determine what programs and activities could be added to the Rec Center curriculum when it reopens. Rec & Park's Chris Boettcher reiterated that community response to the survey would help drive future programming. Historically, the Center has served the needs of the citywide arts community, thus the name the Harvey Milk Recreation Center for the Arts, and historically has included programs for music, dance, drama, and photography.

An announcement of the survey was made in the July-August Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association newsletter, deliverd to 3000 households in the Triangle, and invited people to download the survey from the DTNA web site, www.dtna.org. The survey was also e-mailed to over 300 addresses on the Friends of Duboce Park mailing list. Only 30 people completed and submitted the survey, which is considered a very small sample.

The highest scoring  programs were "tot watch" and photography. It was noted that there is now increased demand for digitial technology, which do not use the dark rooms. What will happen to the dark rooms in the Rec Center that may not be used has not yet been addressed. The highest scoring groups were 6-12 year olds and adults followed by pre-schoolers. Seniors 55+ showed the least amount of interest in programming. Many people mentioned summer camp for youth and teens. 

The budget for a full-time director for the Rec Center has been approved and a knowledgeable director still needs to be recruited. A non-profit Friends of the Harvey Milk Center, similar to the one at the Randall Museum, to help with fundraising for various programs was mentioned in the survey but very few people showed interest in the group or serving on its' board of directors. It was agreed that the Rec Center should serve the needs of both the city and the neighborhood. The Rec Center has always been considered a regional facility with programs that attracted people from all over San Francisco.

Other topics covered at the meeting are reported below, including updates on: playground; Youth Play Area; volunteer day and maintenance; and, Dog Play Area/Multi-Use Area.

(2) 11TH ANNUAL TAG SALE SEPTEMBER 13

(3) NPC GALA IN DUBOCE PARK SEPTEMBER 17

The Neighborhood Park Councils's 2008 Gala is being held in Duboce Park on Wednesday, September 17, 6-9 p.m. in Duboce Park. Join NPC, neighbors, and celebrities (Park Commission President Jim Lazarus, Mayor Gavin Newesom, and NPC Executive Director Isable Wade pictured above at 2007 Gala in Alamo Square) for this annual fun and festive fundraising event. There will be: fabulous cocktails and spirits from local bars and winemakers; delicious food from more than 15-20 participating neighborhood restaurants; a silent auction; and, music by Edo Castro adn E. "Doc" Smith.

Please visit click here to find our more. Tickets are $150 but Duboce Park neighbors receive a special discounted ticket at $100. Volunteers are still needed to help staff the gala. All volunteers work staggered shifts and get to join the party free of charge. Shifts generally run abaout 90 minutes. Interested volunteers should contact Jennifer Bing at jennifer@cbcsanfrancisco.com.

(4) YOUTH PLAY DESIGN DAY BIG SUCCESS 

A Design Day was held on Saturday, July 26 to get input from the community about transforming the “dead” space behind the playground and next to the basketball court into a Youth Play Area to for older children who have outgrown the playground. The event was an informal drop-in process with a fun approach to doing a community design project. Ideas and suggestions were solicited by children and parents who participated by making drawings and sketches, incidicating preferences by putting green dots next to pictures of play structures, or writing ideas on paper. The event was well attended and all of the ideas and suggestions are being considered as part of the process of planning the specifics of the Youth Play Area. The committee will meet again in later this month and a community meeting will be held in late-September.

The concept for a Youth Play Area had enthusiastic support at a community meeting held on June 26 at the CPMC Davies Auditorium. Numberous e-mails sent by people unable to attend the meeting also showed support for the project. Grant writing to fund the project has already begun.

(5) MAINTENANCE REPORT, NEXT VOLUNTEER DAY  

Mud has been coming down the hill and onto the mosaic thrones and the rubber surface under the thrones. The mudslides were at first thought to be a result of the rainy season and deterioration of the curbing at the top of that hill that diverts water away from the hill. Friends of Duboce Park has repeatedly asked for a temporary fix by placing sandbags near the broken curb to divert rain water but were told that would be unnecessary since the rainy season had ended.

However, the mud flow continued. In report made at the August 7 community meeting by Bob Palacio, RPD Neighborhood Service Area Manager, he said that Adrian Field, Park Section Supervisor, identified the cause of the problem as being a water spigot at the top of the hill, near the fence, that irrigated the area. It has since turned it off and park custodians had been cleaning the thrones a few times a week. The question remains as to why this didn’t happen for the first seven years that the new playground was open and but began to occur in 2007 and 2008.

The new lawn mower that will eventually be stored in the renovated Rec Center has been picked up and the lawns will now get mowed once a week…the aphid infestation in trees near Pierce St. is being addressed and those trees will be power washed with soap and water. Aphids are a seasonal problem…The new trees planted along Duboce Ave. may not be appropriate for that area. Urban Forestry will consider another type of tree for that area when they plant the new tree in the Pierce St. circle.

Volunteers cut back trees and pruned foliage in the playground (Carmelita St. resident Stan Watson shown above) and cleaned up the area around the Scott St. Labyrinth. The next volunteer day is Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m.-noon. The September volunteer day is cancelled since would have been the same day as the 11th Annual Tag Sale on Saturday, September 13. 

(6) DOG PLAY AREA/MULTI-USE AREA UPDATE