Public spaces how to save our urban backyards

Craigslist Bootcamp 2010Public Spaces: How to Save our Urban Backyards

In San Francisco and across the country, recreation and parks budgets have suffered greatly as municipal funding has been cut across the

board. In order to sustain our public space and maintain a high quality of urban life, we need to consider new options to grow revenue from

both private and public sources, and engage a new generation of volunteers concerned with enhancing community health and beauty.

In down economic times, are people using their parks less?

Rec & Park By the Numbers

•4,113 acres of recreational and open space

•3,466 acres within San Francisco

•671 marina slips

•220 neighborhood parks

•179 playgrounds and play areas

•82 recreation centers and clubhouses

•72 basketball courts and 151 tennis courts

•59 soccer/playfields (and growing)

•44 ball fields

•35 community gardens

•27 off-leash dog areas

•9 swimming pools

•6 golf courses

All told, our parks make up about 11.5% of city land.

2010-11 Budget Overview

$12.4M budget shortfall for Rec and Park

•$500M budget shortfall citywide

•20% cut in RPD operating budget

•Cuts follow years of unprecedented cuts to RPD budget; 200 gardeners short and a barebones recreation staff

•We are already doing as much as we can with less (Maintenance Scores from Prop C, NPC)

•Cuts would completely decimate our staff and essentially wipe out our department’s function

•One big math problem

Every dollar we raise is one less dollar we have to cut.

But we can’t do it alone.

Revenue Generating Projects

Provide fun and quality park experiences

•Peter Pan Production•Outside Lands•Zip Line•Stanford Spring Game•Soccer games at Candlestick Park Stadium•Food Carts and Gear Carts•Non-resident fees at the SF Botanical Garden and Coit Tower•Summer camp expansion•Antiques Market at Candlestick•Bike RFP

Grants and Philanthropic Gifts

•$70K from Sacred Heart Preparatory Cathedral to restore the football field at Crocker Amazon Park•$50K from the Tennis Coalition to resurface GGP Tennis Courts•$150K from a sponsors to produce World Cup at Civic Center•$100K from the Friend Family to renovate the Friend Rec Center•$50K from Peter Pan Fundraiser for the Youth Scholarship Fund•A family foundation donated $53K for three years (total of $163K) to keep Joe Lee Rec Center open an additional day per week•$850K for Presidio Heights Playground•$1.5M for Dolores Park Playground•GearUp Fund •CityFields Foundation •Three TPL projects (Boeddeker, Hayes Valley and Balboa Park)

We have also secured $3.5M in grants for various projects, including Buena Vista Park, GGP Stables, Palace of Fine Arts and GGP Carousel Plaza.

Relying on the generosity of others

Volunteerism

Citizens are getting involved

•In 2009-10, we logged more than 128,000 volunteer hours in our parks and programs, valued at almost $3M (based on California dollar value for volunteer time.)

•In 2008-09, we logged a little more than 104,000 hours, a 17% jump over the previous year.

Volunteerism

Volunteer Program Highlights

Disney Partnership –“Give a Day, Get a Day”RPD hosted 10 park gardening events with a total of 228 volunteers.  Volunteers received a free day at Disney.   Shaklee Earth Day-- tree planting in Golden Gate ParkShaklee donated $9,999 of trees and shrubs for Golden Gate Park. Approx 160 employees planted and staked trees at four locations in the park.   Port Collaboration Slated for July 2010-June 2011 to increase environmental education and park stewardship at India Basin and Herons Head Parks   Habitat for Humanity Partnership Helping to fundraise for a new playground at Hilltop Park

Volunteerism

Youth Stewardship Program

•YSP provided environmental education and conservation opportunities to 24 classes from under-served populations at ten different park sites

•Student volunteers contributed 2,710 hours of habitat restoration in seven natural areas.

•Students received 4,800 hours of science and environmental education aligned with California State Board of Education science and environmental education content standards.

Volunteerism

Grants/Donations Supporting Volunteers

•$167,000 grant from the California State Parks Habitat Restoration Fund to support the Youth Stewardship Program over the next 5 years.

•$15,000 grant from REI to help fund the Youth Stewardship Program

•$37,000 received to date for various park and volunteer projects. (July 09-May 10).

Questions & Answers