Glen Park Association Receives Grant to Start Greenway Plans
Michael Rice
President, Glen Park Association
I am happy to share great news about improving open space in Glen Park. The Glen Park Association has been awarded a $40,000 grant to initiate a concept plan for the Glen Park Greenway.
As most of us know, the Greenway is a route parallel to Bosworth Street between Brompton Street and Burnside Street. The corridor is primarily owned by the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). The Archdiocese of San Francisco owns a small portion near St. John’s School. These parcels are remainders of property acquired for the Crosstown Freeway, stopped by the “Freeway Revolt” in the 1960s. The paths and landscaping are not maintained, and neither SFPUC nor DPW have funding available for planning Greenway improvements.
The Greenway Plan will help realize a long-standing goal to improve the unmaintained public land as an open space corridor and pedestrian path connecting the Glen Park retail area and Glen Canyon Park. The Glen Park Community Plan, adopted 2012, includes the objective to “sustain and improve the informal greenway and pedestrian path connecting downtown Glen Park and Glen Canyon Park.”
Earlier in fall 2014, the GPA board of directors learned of an opportunity to submit a proposal to a private foundation, The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, for a grant to support Greenway planning. In November, we submitted the proposal to complete a public process to achieve consensus on a Greenway Plan ready for detailed design and development.
In late December, The Schapiro Fund approved our request. The proposal outlined a total budget of $60,000, with the Schapiro Fund providing $40,000. Supervisor Scott Wiener has committed $10,000 of District Funds; we identified other funding of $5,000; and the GPA would provide $5,000 from our grant reserve. At the January 2015 GPA quarterly meeting, the membership will vote on a resolution to confirm the $5,000 GPA grant.
What are the goals of the Greenway Concept Plan? An improved Greenway could enhance the natural and man-made landscape by:
- Improving safe access to a pedestrian route that connects the Glen Park village and the BART station to Glen Canyon Park;
- Providing recreational features or public art within the Greenway;
- Enhancing watershed management in support of SFPUC needs and goals;
- Creating a regional hiking trail connection to Glen Canyon Park and Twin Peaks, making the “Peaks to Creeks” trail a “Peaks to BART” trail.
How will we develop the plan? GPA will work with neighbors, City agencies, and other interested parties to develop an initial landscape concept design for Greenway improvement. In early 2015, we will begin a work plan comprised of community outreach, at least three interactive public meetings, and a completed draft of conceptual plans for the Greenway.
There will be extensive outreach and notification, participation from City agencies, DPW, SFPUC, and Planning. The budget includes services from Surfacedesign, Inc., to lead the landscape design task for the Greenway plan. Surfacedesign projects in San Francisco include the renovated Golden Gate Bridge Plaza, the Land’s End Visitor Center, and the Anza Esplanade for the Presidio Trust.
What will be the outcome of the Greenway Plan process? While we heard many ideas about the Greenway as we developed the proposal, met with the nearby neighbors and talked with City staff, we have no preconceptions as to the specific details the plan could encompass. The plan process will be open and transparent. However, a positive outcome will include:
- A documented Greenway concept plan and timeline described in text, maps and graphics;
- Community and City agency consensus on the Greenway concept plan;
- Identification of additional funding required to complete a detailed design, further public review and approvals, and agreed construction budget and phasing.
The full Greenway Plan proposal is posted on the GPA website, at http://glenparkassociation.org/greenway-project/, and we will discuss the initial Greenway Plan steps at the January 14 GPA membership meeting at St. John’s School.
Finally, I and others have had informal conversations with neighbors around the Greenway, and we heard strong support for this opportunity to plan a better Greenway.
The Greenway as shown in the Glen Park Community Plan, (2011).