Mayor Lee & Supervisors Introduce New Proposed Park Bond to Support Children & Families
$195 Million Bond Measure to Improve City Parks & Playgrounds for November 2012 Ballot
5/15/12–Today Mayor Edwin M. Lee joined members of the Board of Supervisors to introduce a proposed $195 million bond measure to improve City parks and playgrounds for the November 2012 ballot. The bond measure is co-sponsored by Board President David Chiu and Supervisors Eric Mar, Mark Farrell, Carmen Chu, Christina Olague, Jane Kim, Sean Elsbernd, Scott Wiener, David Campos and Malia Cohen.
“This bond will help us invest in our infrastructure, put San Franciscans back to work, and make our parks safe, clean and inviting for everyone,” said Mayor Lee.
“Our parks, playgrounds and open spaces dramatically enhance the quality of our lives in a hectic urban environment,” said Board President Chiu. “This proposal is an important commitment to our future as a livable, sustainable City.”
Recommended as part of the citywide Ten-Year Capital Plan to improve and invest in the City’s infrastructure, the 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond would begin addressing the capital needs faced by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, including improving playgrounds, playfields and swimming pools; upgrading inefficient and wasteful irrigation systems, and addressing urban forestry emergencies. The bond would address issues that are currently driving up ongoing maintenance costs; would not raise property tax rates above 2006 levels; and would be subject to independent oversight and regular audits.
“Our parks are being loved to death,” said Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “At a time when people are using and depending on their parks more and more, significant investment in our infrastructure is needed to ensure that our families have the quality parks and facilities they deserve for decades to come.”
The bond will also create more than 1,275 construction and other jobs in related industries to support San Francisco’s current economic recovery and put residents back to work.
The bond includes $99 million in funding for specific neighborhood parks, as well as long awaited investment in larger Citywide parks – $9 million for Golden Gate Park, $10 million for John McLaren Park and $2 million for Lake Merced. Playground safety projects would receive $15.5 million. In addition, the bond would address forestry, trail and water conservation needs, and provide $12 million for the continuation of the Community Opportunity Fund, a capital grants program that allows residents, neighborhood groups and park advocates to initiate small repairs and improvements in their parks by matching public grants with other private funding.
San Francisco Port waterfront projects, including a new public plaza at Pier 43 and a new 2.7-acre park at the Northeast Wharf Plaza, would receive $34.5 million.
The proposed bond measure will be heard and voted on at San Francisco Board of Supervisors committees before a final vote at the full Board meeting in July. For more information about the 2012 Parks Bond, go to: sfrecpark.org.
The 2012 bond would follow the successful 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, which was approved by 71.6 percent of San Francisco voters. The 2008 Parks bond renovated 13 neighborhood parks and 11 waterfront properties, and implemented five Citywide programs.
5/15/12–Today Mayor Edwin M. Lee joined members of the Board of Supervisors to introduce a proposed $195 million bond measure to improve City parks and playgrounds for the November 2012 ballot. The bond measure is co-sponsored by Board President David Chiu and Supervisors Eric Mar, Mark Farrell, Carmen Chu, Christina Olague, Jane Kim, Sean Elsbernd, Scott Wiener, David Campos and Malia Cohen.
“This bond will help us invest in our infrastructure, put San Franciscans back to work, and make our parks safe, clean and inviting for everyone,” said Mayor Lee.
“Our parks, playgrounds and open spaces dramatically enhance the quality of our lives in a hectic urban environment,” said Board President Chiu. “This proposal is an important commitment to our future as a livable, sustainable City.”
Recommended as part of the citywide Ten-Year Capital Plan to improve and invest in the City’s infrastructure, the 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond would begin addressing the capital needs faced by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, including improving playgrounds, playfields and swimming pools; upgrading inefficient and wasteful irrigation systems, and addressing urban forestry emergencies. The bond would address issues that are currently driving up ongoing maintenance costs; would not raise property tax rates above 2006 levels; and would be subject to independent oversight and regular audits.
“Our parks are being loved to death,” said Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “At a time when people are using and depending on their parks more and more, significant investment in our infrastructure is needed to ensure that our families have the quality parks and facilities they deserve for decades to come.”
The bond will also create more than 1,275 construction and other jobs in related industries to support San Francisco’s current economic recovery and put residents back to work.
The bond includes $99 million in funding for specific neighborhood parks, as well as long awaited investment in larger Citywide parks – $9 million for Golden Gate Park, $10 million for John McLaren Park and $2 million for Lake Merced. Playground safety projects would receive $15.5 million. In addition, the bond would address forestry, trail and water conservation needs, and provide $12 million for the continuation of the Community Opportunity Fund, a capital grants program that allows residents, neighborhood groups and park advocates to initiate small repairs and improvements in their parks by matching public grants with other private funding.
San Francisco Port waterfront projects, including a new public plaza at Pier 43 and a new 2.7-acre park at the Northeast Wharf Plaza, would receive $34.5 million.
The proposed bond measure will be heard and voted on at San Francisco Board of Supervisors committees before a final vote at the full Board meeting in July. For more information about the 2012 Parks Bond, go to: sfrecpark.org.
The 2012 bond would follow the successful 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, which was approved by 71.6 percent of San Francisco voters. The 2008 Parks bond renovated 13 neighborhood parks and 11 waterfront properties, and implemented five Citywide programs.