Some questions and answers about the work in the park

Photos by Murray Schneider

A neighbor sent in questions to Rec and Park and yesterday they sent back answers. Questions below, answers on top.

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From: Karen Mauney-Brodek

Deputy Director for Park Planning, Capital and Planning Division

Hi Shauna,

Thank you very much for your email and call about these conditions.

Fencing

As we discussed when you called, I had been made aware of the fencing issue, and our contractor repaired the fence today.  I reviewed the work today on site.

Graffiti

Yesterday and today the contractor removed equipment which was graffitied.  The portapotty company needs to come out and address graffiti on the portapotty.  We have contacted them.

Lighting

Thank you for your feedback on the lighting, I am reviewing this and I will see what the options are for lighting during the project.  Our contract is bringing in temporary power so there will be some motion activated lights in the area of the old tennis courts installed next week, but we will need to review if other areas should get additional lighting or if additional repairs can be make or adjustments to existing lighting.  We were able to repair some.

Site Progress

As you know, due to coordination with other utility companies, work was slowed over the last two weeks, in addition to some concerns about rain this week.  We are expecting new equipment and work next week on site.

Thank you for your comments and patience as construction proceeds on this very important park.

Sincerely,
Karen

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Karen,

Following up in more detail on my brief phone call to you a few minutes ago about the fence and graffiti:

I’m a long-time Glen Park resident who walks with my dog in the Park almost daily.  I have several concerns, including:

1)  TEMPORARY FENCE DOWN:
For at least several hours today, the temporary fence between the ballfield and the construction area has been lying horizontal on the ground (from the portapotty near the Rec Center building almost to Elk Street).  I didn’t see any contractors on site.  However, when I last looked a short while ago, there was a youth baseball game in progress, and other children nearby as well.

2)  GRAFITTI:
Earlier this afternoon, I saw a city painter painting out the graffiti on the Rec Center building and garbage cans next to the building. I thanked him, and asked him about the graffiti inside the fenced construction area (on the Rec Center building, portapotty, and heavy equipment), as well as on the publicly accessible portapotties and sinks outside the construction area; he told me that was the responsibility of the contractor and the portapotty people.  There was also grafitti on the Rec Center building a few weeks earlier (after construction began), which another city painter previously painted over.

3)  POOR LIGHTING:
Since the elimination of the tennis courts lights, the lighting along both of the current Elk St. entrances to the Park (Elk gate near Paradise, and Elk stairs near Sussex) is severely inadequate for those of us who walk in the park after dark.  Several weeks ago a woman was physically assaulted by a man in the park at around 6:30 pm.  Poor lighting also invites vandalism such as the latest round of graffiti.

Please consider adding adequate temporary lighting, both in the vicinity of the previous tennis courts, and along the Sussex stairs.  Also, several of the lights attached to the Rec Center building, and a few of the lights near the former tennis court, are not working.

Along Alms Road between the Rec building and Silver Tree/Glenridge, there is still (at least) one streetlight that is not working:  #110027032, about halfway up the road, past the stairs that go up the hill to the right.  Thank you to whoever fixed the other streetlights along the road that were previously not lit.  (Another Glen Park resident called 311 a few weeks ago regarding the previously burned out streetlights, and was told that they could not help her unless she provided a street address, even though she explained that there was no street address, since they were located on the road inside Glen Park between Elk Street and the Silver Tree/Glenridge building to the west).

4)  CONSTRUCTION NEAR ELK STREET:
A week or two ago, I noticed a dog inside the fenced construction area, between the large pile of sand and the temporary fence, while a piece of heavy machinery was being operated nearby.  I asked one of the Bauman Construction employees why the dog was in there.  She responded that she always brings her dog to work.  I asked whether Rec and Park was aware of this, and suggested that it was not appropriate, nor was it safe for the dog.  Her response was a rather flippant “thank you for your concern”.

I, and many others I’ve talked to, have been wondering why construction activity has mostly stopped for several weeks in the area of the Rec Center/tennis courts, whereas the Natural Area contractors based near Silver Tree seem to be onsite daily.  Also, I’ve frequently seen Rec&Park employees from the Natural Areas program at the site, but haven’t happened to see your staff onsite near the Rec Center, even when the contractors were removing the trees and tennis courts.

Perhaps a more frequent presence of you and your staff at Glen Park would help to address the above issues.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Shauna Woods
Glen Park resident since 1993
Glen Park Association member

 

 

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More, the project will be done, hopefully, by Nov.

 

Hi Everyone,
Construction at Glen Canyon Park started in early January and is progressing steadily. When complete, the project will feature improvements to the tennis courts, children’s play area, recreation center, landscaping, and Elk Street entrance.

Although the sights and sounds of construction can be hard to escape around the eastern end of the park, we have tried to make visiting Glen Canyon Park as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible during the renovation. There are signs around the park that direct visitors to the open entrances, as well as provide information about the renovation project. Also, there are ADA-accessible porta-potties available seven days a week; they may be found near the Bosworth Street entrance.

To date, the tennis courts and their surrounding retaining walls, as well as the old children’s play equipment, have been removed to make way for the new courts, playground and other amenities. As you may know, the old play equipment was made of pressure treated lumber, which had chemicals such as arsenic in the wood. Though they were sealed by the city on a regular basis, it will be great to get new equipment in the new playground! Some of the park’s benches and tables have been removed for safekeeping; they will be returned when the renovation nears completion.

Later this week or early next week, the construction crew will begin to make way for the new tennis court walls. There will be some new equipment on site to perform the work. If you have children who enjoy watching construction vehicles work (or, are just young at heart), it should be an exciting time to come to the park.  A lot of children have been watching the “diggers” remove the old tennis courts and paving.

Some folks have noticed that it has been quieter around the site for the past couple of weeks. Over the last few weeks there has been work performed by utility companies, which is less visible.  This work is expected to be completed this week.

Assuming there are no additional delays, the project is anticipated to be completed in November 2013. For more information, visit the project’s website (http://sfrecpark.org/project/glen-canyon-park-improvement-plan/) or contact me, Karen Mauney-Brodek, at karen.mauney-brodek@sfgov.org or (415) 575-5601.