The Need

San Francisco is a lively, active city. It boasts a vibrant youth and adult and sports scene all year round. There are soccer leagues for all ages in the summer, fall and spring, with over 800 teams participating from every part of the city. Baseball and softball are popular as well. Unfortunately, San Francisco has a shortage of playfields. San Francisco’s children are regularly turned away from organized sports because there aren’t enough fields to accommodate their play. A 2004 assessment by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department found that the City would have to add more than sixty new baseball, softball and soccer fields just to meet current demand. (See assessment below)

Having fun and playing ball.

Worse, many of the existing fields in the city are in bad shape and as players and moms and dads know, some are taken out of commission for weeks at a time to recover from heavy rain and constant use. Though kids and their families still show up every Saturday hoping to play, pock marked, rutted, or badly drained fields not only dampen spirits, but present a danger to the kids and the adults who use them. And considering the epidemic numbers of kids who suffer from obesity due to lack of physical activity, we can’t afford to discourage kids who want to play sports.

The City Fields Foundation has entered into a partnership with the City of San Francisco to address this situation. The partnership (and $4.5 million gift from the City Fields Foundation) was approved by the mayoral-appointed Recreation and Park Commission in February 2006. During 2006-2007, the partnership will renovate two playing fields, Garfield Park and Silver Terrace to all-star playing capacity. Bathrooms at these facilities will be improved, as will goals, fencing, and lighting. The Foundation is also committed to helping the Recreation and Park Department develop a modern, equitable permit and reservation system for parks throughout San Francisco.

The Pirates show their spirit.

The renovations of Garfield Park and Silver Terrace represent the first stage of a multi-year collaboration between the City Fields Foundation and The City of San Francisco to improve playing fields for San Francisco’s kids and their families.

RECREATION ASSESSMENT

In 2004, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department commissioned an assessment “to evaluate the recreation needs of residents and ensure the future direction of recreation.” The assessment identified “critical issues, challenges and opportunities.”

Click here to read the entire Recreation Assessment.

The following grid illustrates the City’s athletic field deficit.

Questions? Click here to read our Frequently Asked Questions page.