VOLUNTEER IN THE PARK THIS SATURDAY

Our next volunteer day in the park is this Saturday, September 9, from 10 a.m.-noon. We will be weeding and mulching the planted areas in the Childrens’ Playground.  Rec & Park wants us to sign up in advance at this link (scroll down to Duboce Park) if you will be attending. We refreshed the planted areas around the Scott Street Labyrinth  and we planted 30 Ceanophus in the raised planter bed along the sloped area between the stairs and the MUNI retaining wall at our most recent volunteer days.

All gloves and tools are provided and young children are always welcome! Rain will cancel the event. Even 30 minutes of your time makes a big difference in the appearance of Duboce Park. Our volunteer day is always the second Saturday of every month.

Contact Rose at rose@friendsofdubocepark.org for more information or with any questions or comments. Volunteers spent a whopping 400,000 hours in San Francisco parks and programs in the past year, an in-kind donation of more than $144.3 million to Rec and Park. The department hosted 7,214 one-time and repeat volunteers in San Francisco parks.

ZINES, OTHER CLASSES AT HARVEY MILK

Registration for Rec & Park’s fall activities, programs, and classes that start this month is underway. 23 different classes will be offered at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts this fall. There are courses for all ages: preschoolers; youth; tweens & teens; adults; and, adults 55 and older. A complete listing with descriptions, times, and costs for classes at Harvey Milk and other Recreation Centers in San Francisco is available online at sfreconline.org or in the 80-page catalog available at the Harvey Milk Center or Photo Center.

There are two Zine courses this month, Zines for Teens for ages 14-17 starting September 12 and Zines for 18 and older starting September 14. In both of these zine making classes, students will learn about the history of zines, brainstorm topics with others, collect imagery, learn to layout zine materials, shoot photos on a photo walk, get a crash course in creating writing for zines, and, finally, print their zine or Xerox if done in collage style.

Last class meeting will be a Zine Fair, and students are encouraged to share and trade their zines with each other. Students can have the opportunity to display their zines and photos in the lobby of Harvey Milk Center for the Arts if they choose to.

Register online at sfrecpark.org/register or call the registration hotline at (628) 652-2900. Rec and Park offer annual Recreation Scholarships to eligible, low-income individuals and families. Call Lillian Bautista, Scholarship Coordinator, at (415) 831-2717 for information.

LEARN FILM BASICS, DARKROOM ESSENTIALS

Film Camera Basics is a hands-on class covers the basics in film camera usage starting with properly loading your film, exposure, depth of field basics and more. Please make sure to bring your film camera and a roll of film. 35 mm and medium format (120) will be covered. Offered September 21 and November 16, 6-8:30 p.m.

Darkroom Essentials & Processes is an introductory class that covers all of the key basics in Black and White Darkroom printing. Learn the essential steps and key processes to get you on your way to printing your images! Students will gain the techniques to grow in skill and confidence. Offered Tuesdays, September 5-October 10, 6-8:30 p.m. and Thursdays, October 5-November 9, 6-8:30 p.m.

Full descriptions, class dates, and costs of all classes can be found in the Fall 2023 Catalogue available at the Photo Center or online or the Harvey Milk Photo Center website.

UNCANNY BEAUTY PHOTO SHOW OPENING

The opening reception of Uncanny Beauty, an exhibition of contemporary fine art photography by 18 members of the Bay Area Photographers Collective, is Thursday, September 14, 5-8 p.m. and continues through October 21. Curator Emmanuelle Namont says, “These photographs offer a fresh and captivating vision of life’s strange, eerie and unique beauty.” You can meet the artists in person on Saturday 16 and October 7, 1-4 p.m.

Namont also made this curatorial statement: “When encountering the work of the Bay Area Photographers Collective, I was struck by the diverse practices, from street to abstract, from landscape to documentary. The common thread was an exploration of what is beautiful today.

Photography is always a surprise; you master your camera’s controls and look at the world around you, but once you press the shutter, you discover another facet of life.

From everyday occurrences transformed into bizarre moments by a unique combination of color, tones, and framing to an exploration of the natural world and the sublime, the use of the camera is all about the reinterpretation of reality. In that gesture, these photographers offer a fresh and captivating vision of life’s strange, eerie, and unique beauty.”

PUMPKIN CARVING IN THE PARK OCTOBER 29

Friends of Duboce Park is hosting a free pumpkin carving party on Sunday, October 29, from 2-4 p.m. on the Upper Lawn. Although the event is free, please bring your own pumpkin and carving tools. We will have extras in case you forgot.

The classic jack-o’-lantern is an established Halloween icon. For those who grew up trick-or-treating, it evokes sweet memories of childhood, costumes and candy.

The Duboce Park neighborhood attract trick-or-treaters from all over city, particularly on Waller, Pierce, and Carmelita streets. This is a chance to make your own pumpkin to display on Halloween.

MAINTENANCE UPDATE

Friends of Duboce Park recent asked Michelle Pallavicini, Park Services Manager, for an update on various maintenance issues in the park and the response we got is very encouraging.

Turf conditions. There are many bare, worn, and brown spots on all of Duboce Park Lawns. Pallavicini said that the recent sod replacement in the Dog Play Area just could not handle the impact of so many dogs so quickly. Urine, digging, and dog owners loitering in specific areas is the cause for some of the failure. Is anything that can be done to make those areas green with grass again?

Playground resurfacing. We have been asking for resurfacing the playground and YPA for years and finally we received some good news on the playground resurfacing. Duboce Park is on the next round of repairs and bids have just gone out for the work. Repairs are currently being made in the Youth Play Area.

Signage. Many of the signs and stencils are very worn and difficult to read. Pallalvicini said that Duboce Park is on the list for replacement signs this fall. She also has submitted work orders to repaint the stencils to remind people that dogs are not allowed in the People Only Area (Upper Lawn) and are required to be on leash on the hill behind the bulletin board. We also requested a band of color around the People Only area as a reminder.

Benches. We can always use additional benches. Some benches from Boedekker Park have been added around the Potomac entry circle but there is always a need for more.

Garbage cans. Almost all of the garbage cans in Duboce Park are the plastic bins provided by Recology. We would love to see those cans replaced with something more modern and attractive, similar to the ones at Dolores Park. Pallavicini said Rec & Park will look into something that is suitable for Duboce.

We will be meeting with Pallavicini later this month to discuss all these problems further.

Rec & Park began converting the basketball and tennis courts at Carl Larsen Park  into eight new dedicated pickleball courts, while also installing new fencing and wind screens at the site. Nearby tennis courts include McCoppin Square, Parkside Square , and South Sunset Playground. There are 69 outdoor pickleball courts in 14 city parks and another 24 indoor courts at 8 recreation centers.

Rec and Park announced in early September that Mayor London Breed, District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio, Lyft, the  Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the  Bicycle Coalition that San Francisco’s first-ever bike share stations have been placed in Golden Gate Park. The eight Bay Wheels bike share stations are now in operation. Bike share in the park is among many access improvements since the JFK Promenade became a permanent car-free space.

The Golden Mile Project, located in the heart of San Francisco’s majestic Golden Gate Park, transformed a 1.5-mile stretch into an urban oasis bursting with art, music and joy.  JFK Drive has enjoyed a complete transformation over three months beginning in the fall of 2022. More than a dozen massive murals are painted directly upon the former roadway, there are large-scale sculpture installations, two grand pianos sit ready for open play, live music permeates the air from two different stages, a beautifully restored vintage caravan pours locally roasted coffee, circus performers emerge and vanish again as organically as the naturally occurring elements, a storyboard walk educates minds young and old on the history of the park, children’s games can be found in plain sight. Even a full-fledged beer garden appeared on weekends for the adults–all of this in a safe and joyful environment. Here’s the full schedule of performers.

Creative new play equipment for kids of all ages and a park makeover inspired by nature greeted families at the unveiling of the renovated Herz Playground in McLaren Park! The $3.38 million renovation includes two play areas, each geared toward different age groups. Younger children enjoyed a new play structure with slides and activity panels, toddler swings, a bobble rider, and harmony flower chimes for outdoor musical play. Older kids played steel drums and quenched their thirst for adventure by gliding above ground on a track ride, climbing a play tower with two slides, and practicing their agility on a climbing wall. The renovations at Herz Playground will complement the adjacent future Herz Recreation Center which will go into construction in the fall.

Rec & Park is installing a number of park improvements at United Nations Plaza this fall, including skateboarding features, exercise equipment, ping pong, chess and teqball tables, and more. Fencing for this project went up on Friday, September 1. Areas of the plaza will be closed to accommodate work for the duration of the project.

The Gardens of Golden Gate Park and Sunset Piano announced the return of Flower Piano from September 8 to 12. It will transform the San Francisco Botanical Garden into the city’s own alfresco concert hall where everyone is invited to play and listen, now with the NEW Flower Piano Lounge intimate experience.  For more information and t tickets, click here.

COYOTE PUPPING SEASON COMING TO A CLOSE

We are approaching the tail end of summer and that means coyote pupping season is waning and many pups are getting ready to leave their parents and strike out on their own. While coyotes are generally wary of humans, they are starting to explore the city for new dens. That means you might see more coyotes roaming your neighborhood. While coyotes are generally wary of humans,

parent coyotes may become territorial if you or your pet stumbles upon their den. To foster a safe coexistence between yourself and our natural neighbors, please take the following precautions:

• Keep dogs leashed and cats indoors. While rare, small dogs and cats can be viewed as prey. • • Keep both your pet and coyotes safe by staying vigilant.Do not approach coyotes, and instead admire them from a distance. If a coyote approaches you, pick up small children or pets, be loud and retreat slowly from the area.
• If you encounter a coyote, slowly back away carrying any small children or pets. Do not run. You may also scare the coyote away by appearing large and making loud noises.

If you encounter a coyote or see someone putting out food for a coyote, report it to Animal Care and Control (ACC) at (415) 554-9400, or by email at ACC@sfgov.org.

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.

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.”

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023 CALENDAR

Saturday, September 9, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Thursday, September 14, 5-8 p.m. Opening Reception: Uncanny Beauty. Harvey Milk Photo Center. Visit harveymilkphotocenter.org.

Wednesday, September 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org.

Saturday, September 30, 7-8:30 p.m. FREE Outdoor Movie Night at Duboce Park. Questions? Contact movienight@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Saturday, October 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fleet Week: K9 Heroes. Duboce Park.

Tuesday, October 10, 6:30-8 p.m. Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association General Meeting. Harvey Milk Center. Visit dtna.org.

Saturday, October 14, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Wednesday, October 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org.

Sunday, October 29, 2-4 p.m. Pumpkin Carving in the Park. Upper Lawn, Duboce Park.