FALL CLASS REGISTRATION

Registration for Fall 2022 activities, programs, and classes continues, offering courses for all ages: tots; youth; tweens & teens; adults; and, adults 55 and older has begun. Rec and Park offers 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.

There were no summer classes at the Harvey Milk Center for the Recreation Arts since the facility was used for Summer Camps, but the normal class schedule returns to the Center this fall. 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.

The Harvey Milk Photo Center is offering: Adobe Lightroom Classic; Basic B&W Film Development; Cyanotype; Darkroom Essentials & Processes; Developing Your Personal Vision; Getting to Know Your DSLR Camera; Introduction to Inkjet Printing; Matting, Framing, Presenting Your Photos; and, Photo Center Orientation.

VOLUNTEER DAY THIS SATURDAY

Our next volunteer day in the park is this Saturday, September 10, from 10 a.m.-noon. We will be refreshing the planting beds around the Recreation Center by doing some weeding and adding mulch. The weather will be returning to normal by Saturday, when temperatures will be in the mid-sixties during the morning hours.

All gloves and tools are provided. Young children are always welcome! 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.

Your volunteer efforts make a difference. Volunteers typically give more than 250,000 hours a year of their time and energy to improving San Francisco’s 225 parks and recreation facilities. Those hours are equal to $6 million in park services.

MAINTENANCE UPDATE

There are more brown spots in the park than usual. Michelle Pallavicini, Park Services Manager, explained in a recent 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. Gardener Mark needs to water during the day to get the coverage but can only do so much before flooding from the valves becomes problematic. In one case the main line is cracked before the valve which has reduced the flow/pressure along that line thereby decreasing the reach of our emitter equipment.

The bollard and cable fencing around Dog Play Area is in the process of being replaced. The original fence rotted out and was posing a safety hazard. Bollards on the east side of the DPA from the water fountain to Duboce still needs to be installed and should be completed by the end of the month.

Pallavicini said, “This project has been in the works for a very long time and we finally found the funds and a project we could tack it onto. Many in the park have complained that we are doing this and not fixing other items in the park like the dog fountain or the irrigation. This fence replacement is in a different project group.”

The water fountain at the top of the Dog Play Area has had problems. The lower bowl for dogs will not shut off and the drain in the asphalt is clogged. The upper bowls do not work at all. A work order for repairs has been submitted and remains another item on the plumbers’ to do list. Pallavicini also said she is trying to get a new water fountain for that location. The fountain near the Muni stop is operational.

Friends of Duboce Park has ordered a new slide to replace the missing slide in the Children’s Playground and we are waiting for it to arrive. We just received a report that the tube has a defect.

NEW PHOTO SHOW

Swing by the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street) to check out its new free exhibit, Hot Walker, by Bryan Locke. The exhibit was shot over a four-year period at Golden Gate Fields and is a labor of love that displays humanity at its finest. For more information, including exhibit hours, click here .

The show had its opening reception on August 27 and continues through October 15. The gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3-8:30 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

PARKS IN THE NEWS

Flower Piano returns to the San Francisco Botanical Garden from September 16 to 20, turning the garden into the city’s own alfresco concert hall. Participants are invited to explore the Garden’s global living plant collections as they seek out the 12 pianos spread out across the 55-acre living museum.

At each of the pianos, there will be scheduled professional performances, open play time for participants, and community partner performances – reflecting a range of genres, ages, and cultures. The experience brings joy, hope, awe, and a deep sense of community. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Check out the recent San Francisco Examiner article that profiles San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. It highlights his 13-year tenure, which has been one of the most transformative periods for San Francisco’s parks in history. In addition to his accomplishments in this profile, Ginsburg was also recently reappointed to a second term on the California State Park and Recreation Commission.

The JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park is getting a glow-up to become an even more welcoming space for all visitors—complete with vibrant decorative paint celebrating Golden Gate Park. Work has begun to transform the road into a promenade by removing old roadway striping to make way for decorative painting.

FREE MUSIC IN THE PARKS

There are great free music shows at the Golden Gate Bandshell this weekend, starting with Brazilian Jazz with Homenagem Brasileira at the Soul/Jazz/R&B Happy Hour on Friday, September 9, 4:30 to 7 p.m. On Saturday, September 10, from noon to 4 p.m. Charity and the JAMBand will play for the Kids Fest #3. W Reggae Sunday on September 11 will feature DJ Irie Dole plus a special guest TBA, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, click here.

Check out Due South, a free outdoor concert series at the historic Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park. This year’s series features a diverse lineup of contemporary talent, celebrating the cultures and communities that surround McLaren Park and its neighboring districts. Two concerts are left: September 17 with Thao and Ruby Ibarra; and October 8 with Ozomatrli and La Misa Negra, both 2-6 p.m. Enjoy live music and local eats. More information, click here.

MOVIE NIGHTS IN PARKS

“Sundown Cinema” is a free, outdoor movie series that features film screenings at parks across the city. Upcoming screenings are: “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Art” Alamo Square on Friday September 9 at 5 p.m., “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at Crane Cove Park on Friday September 30 at 5 p.m., and “Addams Family Values” (with a Halloween costume contest and prizes at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park on Friday October 21 at 5 p.m. The movies are presented by the San Francisco Parks Alliance. For more information, click here.

COYOTE TIPS

Coyotes have been 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.

Janet Kessler, an Upper Noe Valley resident, shared her excellent presentation on San Francisco coyotes to the Telegraph Hill Neighbors on Next Door. 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. If you are interested, please contact President Doug Woo at doug@friendsofdubocepark.org.

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 2022 CALENDAR

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

Wednesday, September 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org. 9/28 @ 6:30 p.m. on Zoom.

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

Tuesday, October 11, 7-9 p.m. Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association General Meeting. Harvey Milk Recreation Center for the Arts, 50 Scott St. and via Zoom. Visit dtna.org.

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