Spring is breaking out! Workday is Saturday, news from Branch and the Bike Coalition

Coming up this weekend:

Panhandle Workday

Saturday, April 12

9 am - 12 noon

Meet at the Bulletin Board by the Panhandle Playground (near Oak @ Ashbury)

Gloves and tools are provided. 

More park news:

1. Bike Coalition's D5 effort increases its focus on the Panhandle 

The Bike Coalition has been organizing its members living in District 5, and one of the early results is a decision that their focus should be to make the Panhandle better for biking and walking. The group is meeting next week and will plan out ways to make this happen, such as support for the neighborhood's proposal to the Community Opportunity Fund for capital improvements in the Panhandle. Contact Janice Li (Janice@sfbike.org) for more information. 

2. branch schedules 2014 Urban Ecology Summer Camps

Many of you have met the Panhandle locals of branch, during our community workdays and at the special ecology event that was part of the Panhandle Park Improvement Project. branch has a new schedule of summer camps for 5-10-year olds, and though none of them will be at the Panhandle, they have other awesome locations in San Francisco farms, gardens, and other green spaces. 

Contact them for more information!

Congratulations, Lisa Wayne...

...for earning the prestigious Good Government Award from SPUR.

Our March Workday

At our community workday last Saturday March 8, a bunch of new plants provided by SF Rec and Park were ready for planting into our rain garden (a variety of California native plants) and around the perimeter of the playground (different exotic plants). The western end of the playground, in particular, got a thorough re-planting in order to create a planting design that should be pleasant year-round. At the end of the workday, many other people from the community gathered to learn about and offer input into plans that are being prepared for submission to the Community Opportunity Fund. The plans respond to requests for capital improvements in the park such as an improved pathway, more benches, and better signage.

Max lays out new plants for planting in the rain garden

The western edge of the playground got a complete re-planting 

Beneath the big eucalyptus behind the restrooms, volunteers spread mulch and raked leaves from the grass

Volunteers swept sand and leaves from the playground boardwalk

Mike makes comments on the big, beautiful renderings prepared to show ideas for the new proposal

March means mushrooms and magnolias in bloom at the Panhandle