SUMMER CLASS REGISTRATION

Registration for Summer activities, programs, and classes is underway. Rec & Park will not be offering their usual classes this summer at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts since the facility is hosting Summer Day camps (see information below). Photo classes continue at the Harvey Milk Photo Center during the summer, however.

There are lots of classes this summer at other parks and recreation centers around the city. There are courses for all ages: tots; youth; tweens & teens; adults; and, adults 55 and older. A complete listing with descriptions, times, and costs is available here or in the 48-page catalogue available at the Rec Center or Photo Center. The registration hotline is (628) 652-2900.

SUMMER DAY CAMPS

Summer Day Camps are underway at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts. Four 2-week camps for ages 8-12 are being offered, starting on June 5, June 20, July 10, and July 24.

If your child loves to make art all day long, consider a summer camp at the Harvey Milk Recreation Center! Rec and Park offer intensive art making classes where campers can explore and develop their artistic abilities in visual art, creative writing, storytelling, and movement, led by art specialists. Projects will focus on multi-step processes and challenge fine motor skills.

Young People’s Teen Musical Theater Company (YPMTC) is offering three-day camps at Harvey Milk to teenagers 13-17 years old: Writing Camp from June 20-30, Vocal & Acting Camp from July-10-21, and Dance Camp from July 24-August 4.

There are still the old-time favorites at other City parks, like Silver Tree and Pine Lake, but also some new camps. The Ropes Course Experience will challenge campers while teaching teamwork at the McLaren Park Ropes Course, Camp Mania is a new sports camp for tween & teens at Glen Park and Eco Center’s Wetland Explorers will having camper’s exploring nature through hikes and science based activities. There’s also a multitude of sports camps being offered around our City at centers like Kezar Pavilion, Crocker Amazon, and more. Urban Sports at Moscone Rec Center and the All Girls Sports Camps are some awesome choices.

For more information or the catalogue of camps, please visit sfreconline.org.

VOLUNTEER DAYS THIS SATURDAY

Our next volunteer day in the park is this Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m.-noon. This month we will be refreshing the planting areas around the Scott Street Labyrinth. Last month we planted 30 Ceanophus in the raised planter bed along the sloped area between the stairs and the MUNI retaining wall.

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 415-255-8370 or rose@friendsofdubocepark.org for more information or with any questions or comments.

BASIC BLACK & WHITE FILM DEVELOPMENT

Learn the basics of black and white film development. In this quick workshop students will be taught how to properly process their black and white film. 35mm and 120 film development will all be explained. Students must bring in a black and white roll of film ready for development. There are no prerequisites and beginners are encouraged to sign-up. No class time will be spent in the darkroom and color film development will not be addressed in this course.

The 3-hour class is being offered on Saturdays, 1-4 p.m., on:June 17, July 1, July 22, and August 5. There are lots of other great photography classes being offered at the Harvey Milk Photo Center including: Advanced Lightroom starting July 8; Beginning Adobe Photoshop, July 20; Luminograms, July 26; and, Matting, Framing, Presenting Your Photos, August 12. Click here for more information.

PARKS IN THE NEWS

Sundown Cinema returns to San Francisco parks for its 2023 season, from India Basin Shoreline Park to Alamo Square! Join the San Francisco Parks Alliance and DoTheBay for these free film screenings at the park, with the first on Friday, June 8 at Alamo Square (Hayes and Steiner streets) featuring “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” For more information, click here.

Mayor London Breed announced on May 17 that the City of San Francisco will partner with KABOOM! in the national nonprofit’s five-year plan toward achieving play space equity in 25 priority places across the country.

Through the initiative, KABOOM! and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department will lead an ambitious $10 million plan to address gaps in access to quality, nature-rich children’s play spaces in communities that disproportionately lack resources.

Under the first phase, KABOOM! will lead a fundraising campaign with a goal of $2.5 million, with the City matching that amount, to improve four playgrounds located in the City’s Equity Zones—which are defined by the State of California as communities with a high concentration of one or more vulnerable population characteristics.

The first four sites to undergo play space transformation will include Silver Terrace Playground, Tenderloin Recreation Center, Randolph-Bright Mini Park, and Purple Playground in Crocker-Amazon. This phase marks the first step in the long-term plan to ensure every child in S.F. has a nature-rich place to play in their community.

Check out SFGATE’s recently published guide to San Francisco’s 37 mini parks, which play an important role in providing residents with access to green space citywide. From hidden hilltops to epic playgrounds, check out the guide and mini park recommendations. The closest mini park to Duboce Park is the Noe-Beaver Mini Park Community Garden.

Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore Index was released last week, and San Francisco’s parks ranked among the best in the nation! Rankings are based on five factors: park access, park equity, park acreage, park investment, and park amenities. Each category was evaluated on a
scale of 100 points. San Francisco parks received perfect scores for access and investment, while our dog parks and bathrooms received perfect scores for abundance.

MUSIC IN THE PARKS

Outside Lands is just around the corner. It will take place in Golden Gate Park from August 11 to 13 and features headliners such as Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Odesza, Lana Del Rey and more! For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Stern Grove Festival starts this month! Check out the amazing lineup of free concerts, as well as the reservation schedule where you can RSVP for free tickets one month prior to the show. The next reservation date started last Friday, for the OGI and Santigold show on July 2. For more information and to RSVP Friday, click here.

Read the recent article from the San Francisco Chronicle’s Datebook, in which Mayor London Breed unveiled a new plan to bring more summer concerts to Golden Gate

Park starting next year. The proposal calls for two or three days of headliner-driven events on the weekend following the annual Outside Lands music festival. Read more at the link below and learn how it would help supplement Rec and Park’s services ahead of a two-year budget deficit.

But there’s no need to wait since live music happens every week at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell’s iconic stage with another series of free outdoor concerts. The series, Illuminate Live, will bring more than 100 free concerts to the GGP Music Concourse in 2023. Shows feature R&B, soul, jazz, funk, reggae, salsa, electronic music/EDM, big band musicians, string ensembles, indie and psychedelic rock bands and many diverse singer-songwriters.

Tomorrow is Friday Happy Hour with free jazz from local favorites What’s Cooking (4:30 to 5:45 p.m. and Rugburn (6:15-7:30 p.m.). Junteenth with be celebrated at the bandshell on June 16 and 17. More info here.

COYOTE TIPS

Coyotes continue to be spotted in our parks and on our streets. They are naturally wary of people but can habituate to our presence and the reliable food sources that we provide. San Francisco Animal Care and Control has these tips if you encounter a coyote:

Walk away. Keep moving away from the coyote. Don’t run.
Pick up small dogs and carry them if you see a coyote.
Do not let your dog interact with a coyote. Do not allow dogs to chase coyotes.
Keep your dog on leash – even in designated off leash areas – if coyotes are present.
If a coyote approaches you – shout, wave your arms, stomp your feet. The goal is to startle the coyote and encourage them to move away. It is unlawful to harass or injure coyotes.
Carry a cane/stick, an air horn or a whistle with you on walks.
Never let a coyote come between you and your child or pet.

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.”

JUNE-JULY 2023 CALENDAR

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

Tuesday, June 13, 6:30-8 p.m. Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association General Meeting. Harvey Milk Center. Visit dtna.org.

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

Saturday, July 8, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Wednesday, July 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org.