SPRING CLASS REGISTRATION: 8 DANCE CLASSES AT CENTER

Rec & Park is offering eight dance classes at the Harvey Milk Center this Spring, including Ballet (for ages 5-8); BollyX; Chinese Folk Dance; Dance/Exercise; Global Dance; International Folk Dance; and, Expressive Arts through Movement.

Registration for these and all Spring  activities, programs, and classes continues, offering courses for all ages: tots; youth; tweens & teens; adults; and, adults 55 and older. A complete listing of all courses, with descriptions, times, and costs is available online at sfreconline.org or in the 72-page catalogue available at the Rec Center or Photo Center.

Classes starting on March 21 at Harvey Milk Recreation Center include: Beginning Ukulele; Chinese Adults Choir; Expressive Arts through; Global Dance; Healing Yoga;; Little People’s Art Studio (for ages 2.5-5); Portfolio Development Workshop; Synthesizer;  and, Textiles; Watercolor & Narrative for Seniors (55 and older).

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 on how to qualify.

SUMMER DAY CAMP REGISTRATION MARCH 18

Seven summer art day camps are being offered at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts this year.. 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, then this is the camp for them! Rec and Park is offering intensive art making 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 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 and the catalogue of camps, please visit sfreconline.org.

VOLUNTEER IN THE PARK THIS SATURDAY

Our next volunteer day in the park is this Saturday, March 11, from 10 a.m.-noon. We will be refreshing the planted areas inside the Children’s Playground. 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. Our past few volunteer days were cancelled due to rain.

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 7,2114 one-time and repeat volunteers in San Francisco parks.

MAINTENANCE UPDATE

The fenced portion of the Dog Play Area reopened on February 28 after being closed in December for three months for turf restoration. The area measured 12,960 square feet (that’s 1440 square yards or almost 0.3 acres). New sod was installed there and other areas in the park were aerated and seeded. All of those areas needed time to recover and grow.

The atmospheric river that drenched Northern California definitely resulted in the park looking greener but many of those green areas have sprouted invasive weeds that are difficult to get rid of.  San Francisco posted its second-rainiest day ever in over 170 years on New Year’s Eve and almost eight inches fell in San Francisco between December 30 and January 8. That’s just over an inch shy of the historic 9.26 inches of rain that fell between that same period in 1861-62.

Rec and Park installed the new slide in the Children’s Playground to replace the damaged one that was removed. The climbing tube in the tot section has a crack and a replacement part has been ordered by Rec and Park and is expected to arrive soon.

Irrigation repair in the park is almost complete. Michelle Pallavicini, Park Services Manager, explained in a September email, “The Irrigation lines and valves feeding east from the Recreation Center down through the People Only lawn have been breaking one right after the other. We are having a difficult time getting the plumbers to make the repairs. This has caused the issues of inconsistent watering patterns.”

PHOTO SHOW “WOMEN IN COLOR”

Margot Hartford’s show, Women in Color, continues through March 18. Hartford has been a lifestyle photographer for over 20 years, photographing people and interiors for websites, magazines and for personal portfolios. Interior design and decorating have always been a passion of hers. She has been invited to photograph some of the most beautiful residences in Northern California, Toronto, The Netherlands and other parts of Western Europe.

She said, “I wanted to include women of all ages and ethnicities, but keep their identity anonymous. My goal was to depict strong, capable women in a variety of graphically simple images. My first decision was usually the selection of a prop, then I moved onto sourcing wardrobe and then finding an interesting location. I also chose bold colors whenever possible, in the wardrobe and for the backgrounds.”

PHOTO TRANSFER CLASS MARCH 18

The Harvey Milk Photo Center and Counter Collective is offering a three-hour, hands-on workshop on photo transfer, a technique that utilizes the photographic medium to create something new on Saturday, March 18, 2023, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at Harvey Milk Photo Center.

Photo transfer is a technique that takes an image and directly prints it into a new surface, creating a mirror image. You use solvents on the matrix in order to lift it, and the process can only be done, meaning it is not a repeatable process. The results vary and can be magical in their uniqueness. There are many ways to apply photo transfer, with different materials and methods.

Register here on Eventbrite for the class. Fee $45. Please select 2-3 photos and email them prior to the workshop to countercollectivesf@gmail.com. Registration for Photo Center Spring courses is underway at sfreconline.org for classes beginning on March 22.

PARKS IN THE NEWS

Live music will return for its third season at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell with another series of free outdoor concerts. The series, Illuminate Live, kicked off on March 1 and will bring over 100 free concerts to the GGP Music Concourse in 2023.  Shows will 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.

Crucial Reggae Sundays, 4:20-7:30 p.m.; Singer/Songwriter Showcases take place on Wednesdays; and Fridays Happy Hour from 4:30-7. There are concerts on Thursdays and Saturdays as well. Check goldengatebandshell.org for the complete schedule and times. All concerts throughout March will feature women or women-fronted bands in honor of International Women’s Day.

Rec and Park have closed parks throughout the city due to windy weather and anticipate more closures this week with the upcoming winter storms. Use extra caution when walking or exercising in our parks as strong gusts can topple healthy trees and snap limbs. The photo above left show a tree was blown over on Scott Street; photo above right shows caution tape around a tree at the Steiner-Duboce corner. Stay up to date on park closures at sfrecpark.org.

Join the de Young Museum (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive) for de Youngsters Day Out this Saturday, March 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. in Golden Gate Park. This free annual event will have art activities, entertainment, and workshops and presentations by local contemporary artists interpreting the museum’s collection. Reservations suggested.

 

MOVIE NIGHT APRIL 29 – TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Movie Night returns to Duboce Park on Saturday, April 29 with Top Gun: Maverick. The 2022 action film is a sequel to the 1986 Top Gun with Tom Cruise reprising his starring role as the naval aviator Maverick and has been nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture.

Top Gun was the highest-grossing film of 2022, grossing $1.487 billion, the highest grossing film of Cruise’s career. The movie will start around 8 p.m. Friends of Duboce Park will  have a refreshment stand with popcorn, healthy snacks, and cocoa. Sponsored by Friends of Duboce Park and San Francisco Rec and Parks. Bring a blanket or low slung chairs and dress in layers. 

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.

More information is available at projectcoyote.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.” 

MARCH-APRIL 2023 CALENDAR

Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m. Spring 2023 Class Registration begins. Visit www.sfreconline.org.

Saturday, March 11, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Saturday, March 18, 10 a.m. Summer Day Camp Registration. Visit www.sfreconline.org.

Wednesday, March 22, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org.

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

Tuesday, April 11, 6:30-8 p.m. Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association General Meeting. Harvey Milk Center. Visit dtna.org.

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

Saturday, April 29, 8 p.m. Outdoor Movie Night, Upper Lawn, Duboce Park. Showing Top Gun: Maverick.