Capital Project date calendared for November 26

Breaktime

Thanks for checking in on the Panhandle Park! For those who read the article in the just-published North of Panhandle neighborhood newsletter, our big planting day did not happen yet, because of changes in the timetable of the capital improvement project. I now predict that the big planting day will be in January. Fortunately, we are closer to seeing the capital project begin, and a contractor is actually in place, with a start date: November 26, according to the capital division of SF Rec and Park.

Working to make a better lawn

Yesterday was a good day for our regular monthly community workday, thanks to the combined effort of many volunteers from the neighborhood and even more families of the San Francisco Day School sixth grade class. We worked to restore the the turf in the center of the park between Masonic and Central. Specifically, our work was to spread compost fines around bare spots. In conjunction with aeration of turf, we expect to see improved quality of our meadows! We used similar methods last month at the far east end of the park around the McKinley memorial and we're beginning to see good results there.

Raking up eucalyptus leaves to start

Remove the leaves in the cushman

Special project: free a tree from ivy

GRAND OPENING at NEW TRADITIONS

For anyone with an interest in improving our neighborhood and making our schools a place for environmental experience, here's news of an upcoming event: GRAND OPENING of New Traditions Elementary Habitat Garden & Rainwater Cistern Project.  Parents at this school have been involved in transforming the building and building grounds for the last five years, and parents say they would love to see a large turnout for this special event. During the workday, help plan oak trees and install a rainwater cistern! It's scheduled for: 

• Saturday, November 17
• 9 am - 12 pm workday; 11 am ribbon-cutting
• New Traditions School at 2049 Grove Street

You can view a poster for the event at Flickr and also a set of photos showing the development of this project over the years.

We have a Panhandle workday coming up this Saturday

Join us at the Panhandle this Saturday, November 10 for our monthly community workday.

Saturday, Nov. 10

9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Meet up at the Playground (near Ashbury @ Oak St.)

Tools and gloves provided (those bringing children are advised to bring child-sized gloves)

Congratulations to local park lovers and the coalition led by San Francisco Parks Alliance for passage yesterday with nearly 72% of the vote in favor of  Prop B, the 2012 Parks Bond, which ensures strong funding for the projects of SF Recreation and Parks.

Today's workday was sunny & busy

It was a warm sunny morning for our Panhandle workday, and our challenge was to reinvigorate the big bare spots in the turf around the McKinley Monument. A big crew of volunteers was on hand to shovel compost into wheelbarrows and then spread a thin layer on the compacted soil, with the hopes that the seed bank will send up fresh shoots.

After break, we spread a mountain of wood chips around the northeast redwood cluster. By the time our program ended, a crew of seven remained on hand for a final photo in the cool shade of the redwoods.

Our work site was next to the big District 5 mobilization on Baker Street for waste drop-off and compost giveaway. Some of our team brought along bags to take some free compost home. We also had the chance to grab a free reusable bag from the SF Dept of Environment.

District 5 Supervisor Christina Olague also stopped by for a chat on the way to her campaign volunteer mobilization in the shade of the memorial.

Panhandle workday this Saturday; Work underway on south path near Baker

Here's a photo of work underway today in the Panhandle: our southeast entrance, where the path winds through a cluster of redwood trees, is being repaired! Workers have dug out the bed of the pedestrian path, for a distance of about 30 feet, extending all the way to the corner at Baker Street. So far they have reinstalled a the loose rock foundation and so it looks like they will repave and reopen the path soon. For many years, the path there has been wavy  and cracked (and prone to standing water). Big tripping hazard. 

You can see the improvements yourself if you join us on Saturday for our monthly Panhandle community workday. Expect some awesome fall weather and lots of friendly neighbors. See you at 9am, meeting up at the playground, near where Ashbury Street joins the Panhandle.