by Ashley Hathaway
The Glen Canyon Park Improvement Plan continues to move forward and Karen Mauney-Brodek, Deputy Director, Park Planning for San Francisco Recreation and Parks will present the proposed plans at the second Recreation and Park Commission hearing. The hearing takes place at 10 am on Thursday August 18, City Hall, Room 416 and is open to the public.
The purpose of these hearings (the first was held Wednesday August 3) is a formality to accept the gift of the improvement plan provided by Trust for Public Land, and provides an opportunity for public comment, and to approve the conceptual plans for the Glen Canyon Park Trail Restoration and the Glen Canyon Park Improvement Plan (focused on the Rec Center area).These hearings will facilitate the process of the final community outreach for Glen Park and subsequently kick-start the design phase for the funded portion of the project in the lower part of the park. This includes (but not limited to) a newly designed Elk Street entrance, expanded and up-graded playground, new repositioned tennis courts, and a new ADA restroom in the Rec Center that will be open for public access 7 days a week.
Prior to the hearing on August 3, the Glen Park Association Board of Directors drafted and sent a letter to Mauney-Brodek stating specific comments regarding the proposed plans. That letter was then presented to each of the Commission members during the hearing. The letter states an overall approval of the park improvement plan in addition to specific areas of concern. Expanding the area of the playground beyond what has been presented and removal of some existing trees for new tennis courts are some of the concerns noted. The letter also notes: “These comments, however are the position of the GPA board, but are not an official position of the membership of the Association”.
Glen Park resident and Association member Miriam Moss presented public comment at the August 3 hearing. She expressed concern that the playground expansion plan was not only insufficient but removal of trees for the tennis courts was not appropriately addressed to the community.
Specific information on the plan, including information from all community workshops, is posted on the Glen Canyon Park Improvement Plan website at http://sfrecpark.org/glenparkproject.aspx
The next community meeting for phase one design development is expected to take place in the fall. Information will be posted as it becomes available.