This Saturday, the Parks Conservancy will host a celebration for the grand opening of the new Lands End Lookout visitor center.

The new visitor center – located just above Sutro Baths in a corner of the Merrie Way parking lot – features “exhibits and artifacts, interpretive merchandise, a café, restrooms, and “green” features throughout”. Also newly built is a 1,000 square foot building for restrooms (no more porta-potties!).

Saturday’s celebration kicks off at 11am with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. From 12noon until 2pm, the center will be open to visitors and there will be live music performances. Beginning at 1pm, you can join guided walks on the area’s Ohlone heritage, wildflowers, history or archeology.

The construction of the Lands End Lookout was made possible through a $5 million donation from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and the Goldsmith Foundation. Additional funds were provided by the National Park Service and Parks Conservancy members.

In early community meetings, the architectural firm on the project, Esherick, Homsey, Dodge & Davis (EHDD), said they envisioned the Lands End Lookout as “a touchstone for a network of places along the edge”, a starting point for visitors to begin their exploration of Lands End. And visitors don’t just mean tourists – according to a surveys conducted for the project, 80% of visitors to Lands End are local to San Francisco.

To help guide the design process, the Park Service developed five themes for the project: Lands End’s history of recreation (think Sutro Baths, Camera Obscura, rides along Merrie Way, the Cliff House and its Sky Tram), the cultural landscape (who’s been part of the history of Lands End and the archaeology that has evolved), the natural landscape, the Native American presence of the Ohlone/Costonoa tribes that visited seasonally for nearly 3,500 years, and finally, Lands End’s identity as a National Park.

EHDD summed up their design goal for the center as “a place that reflects the past, represents the present, and provides opportunities for future use of Lands End, its protection and enjoyment.”

Come out Saturday and see if they accomplished it!

Sarah B.

KALW Radio ran a nice profile of the energetic, lively and fun gathering known as Lindy in the Park, a dance party that takes place every Sunday on JFK Drive in the park, just behind the de Young Museum.

Have a listen:

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Lindy in the Park was one of the first things we wrote about on the blog, resulting in this video showing what the experience is like (fun!):

If you feel like joining in or just watching, you can catch Lindy in the Park every Sunday from 11am until 2pm.

A free beginner lesson is taught each time from 12 to 12:30. To find the group, just walk into JFK Drive from 9th or 10th Avenue – you can’t miss the music and the dancing mob.

Sarah B.

In September, the Richmond District YMCA announced that it would be expanding its space to include the Clubhouse at Argonne Playground, located on 18th Avenue between Geary and Anza. That’s just one block south of the existing YMCA building.

Programming at the Clubhouse will pertain to the YMCA’s three areas of focus: Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility.

This Saturday from 10am until 1pm, the YMCA will officially kick off their use of the clubhouse with a community celebration.

Join us for a free day of fun for all ages at our new program site at the Argonne Playground Clubhouse! We will be offering giveaways, snacks, youth and adult class demos, raffle prizes, discounted program cards, and more!

Free class demonstrations during the day include:

10:00 – Storytelling and Movement
10:45 – All Ages Zumba
11:30 – Arts and Crafts
12:15 – Cooking Workshop

The Argonne Clubhouse was renovated in 2006, but was closed to the community in 2010 due to budget cuts. The YMCA is partnering with SF Rec & Park on the project.

For more information about the Argonne Clubhouse and a schedule of activities, visit ymcasf.org/richmond/argonne.

Sarah B.

Photo by earmuffboy

This Saturday, November 5, the Parks Conservancy is offering a free, three hour walking tour of Lands End with historian and former National Park Service ranger, John Martini (he’s awesome!).

John will take walkers on the full extent of the trail from near the new Lookout Visitors Center location to Eagle’s Point, and back, with plenty of stories along the way.

The tour runs from 10am until 1pm. Meet in the Merrie Way Lands End parking lot, next to Point Lobos Avenue (above Louis’ Diner). RSVP is not required but requested to trailsforever@parksconservancy.org to help with planning.

Sarah B.

The Richmond District YMCA announced today that it will be expanding its space to include the Argonne Clubhouse, located on 18th Avenue between Geary and Anza. That’s just one block south of the existing YMCA building.

All programming at this new site will be offered through a new drop-in punch card system designed to be accessible to anyone interested in getting a taste of what the Y has to offer them or their family. Programming at Argonne will focus on the Y’s three areas of focus: Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility.

They plan to offer the following types of classes and programs in the new space:

Youth Development: LEAP Afterschool Program, Movie Nights, Art Programs, Movement Classes, Toddler Exploration, Holiday Camps, Summer Camp
Healthy Living: Strength Training Classes, Cardio Classes, Boot Camp, Zumba, Yoga
Social Responsibility: Community Meetings, Holiday Events, Healthy Kids Day

The Clubhouse was renovated in 2006, but has not been open to the community since 2010 due to budget cuts. The YMCA is partnering with SF Rec & Park on the project.

The YMCA will host an open house at their new annex on October 1st from 2pm until 4pm. Neighbors are invited to come by and sample classes, purchase discount activity cards, give feedback on the types of programming that will be offered, and meet the staff.

Sarah B.

Richmond Playground on 18th Avenue. Inset: a large crack that runs through the basketball courts

At a meeting today, the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Commission approved a $45,095 budget that will be used to resurface the basketball courts at the Richmond Playground, located between 18th and 19th Avenues near Lake Street.

The project was initially proposed by Commissioner David Lee, who lives in the Richmond District and frequents the park to play basketball with his 9-year old son.

“I play basketball at the Richmond Playground with my son and it’s pretty ratty,” Lee said which prompted him to propose the renovation to the park’s basketball courts.

Lee points out that the indoor court at the Richmond Rec Center down the street is usually booked solid, and another nearby court at Argonaut School is only a half court. “The basketball courts at Richmond Playground are heavily used – it’s one of the few places where you can play pick-up basketball in the neighborhood.”

The $45k project will include resurfacing and repairing the basketball courts, cleaning and providing crack filler and fabric, restriping the courts, and replacing the four basketball hoops and backboards.

The park also includes a playground, tennis court, multi-purpose court, and a clubhouse, but the funds approved in today’s meeting are only for repairs to the two basketball courts.

The funds will come from Rec & Park’s Open Space Contingency Reserve Fund, which is reserved for one-time capital improvements. The project proposal includes a bid from Nicole’s Work Inc, a general contractor in Daly City. View the full proposal and budget

The project will be completed this winter, with Lee estimating that construction should begin in early October and last for a few weeks. “I told them they had to be done by Thanksgiving because everyone wants to play basketball on Thanksgiving,” Lee said.

Lee said that he’s always looking for ways to improve on the parks in the neighborhood. Know of a good improvement project at one of our neighborhood parks? Leave it in a comment here on this post – Commissioner Lee definitely reads the blog!

Sarah B.

Recently, I got an email inviting me to check out a weekly class at the Coastside Fencing Academy on Balboa.

Coastside is a serious fencing school but behind its seemingly benign storefront in the outer Richmond lies an intriguing subculture of futuristic fencing warriors – or rather, knights.

Every Monday night from 7:30pm to 9pm, the Golden Gate Knights take over the Coastside Academy. They describe themselves as “a group of intrepid and dexterous awesomeness enthusiasts who gather for an evening of saber smashing and beer drinking set to epic electric guitar riffs.”

Well of course I was intrigued. A few clicks later, I discovered it’s not traditional rapiers they’re wielding, but light sabers. Yes, you read that right – light sabers. Those infamous glow stick weapons from the Star Wars movies.

Luke vs. Darth Vader, Obi Wan vs. Darth Maul, Obi Wan vs. Darth Vader – you recall those epic battles that took place on the big screen. Well now you too can fire up a light saber and receive professional instruction from Battlemaster “Novastar”, aka Matthew Carauddo who is also a licensed fencing instructor.

The group’s website promises that as an apprentice to Novastar, “you will become an expert at saber choreography, spins, flourishes and a whole lot more.” Check out this video.

Yeah, but what about Jedi mind tricks? Every class includes 5-10 minutes of “mind melting jedi meditation”. Check.

The good news is that the class is not all serious study of the Jedi way. The band of rebels usually goes out for beer and cheeseburgers afterwards at the Tee Off Bar & Grill (32nd & Clement), where they take over the jukebox. I can’t help but think of the bar scene in Star Wars…

The Golden Gate Knights meet every Monday night at 7:30pm at the Coastside Academy, 3201 Balboa. The class costs $15 and you can borrow a saber for free for your first month; after that you can rent one for $5 a class. Age 17 and over only (sorry, Anakin).

The website cautions, “Feel free to bring you own saber but practice caution. Saber blades have different strengths so pairing up your blades against ours might not be good.” Duly noted.

In case your curiosity is peaked, do a little saber browsing at ultrasabers.com. Even if you don’t go to class, you might just want one to wear around the ‘hood.

Sarah B.

Over Labor Day weekend, the San Francisco AMDT Table Tennis Center is hosting a ping pong tournament at the Richmond District Recreation Center. The event is a 2 star US OPEN Table Tennis Tournament.

The tournament is open to everyone, with cash prizes up to $500. The event has different skills levels for a variety of players, including beginner, intermediate, and advanced, suitable for ages ranging from 5-year old children up to 70+-year old seniors. They will also offer a division for disabled participants.

The tournament will also feature some nationally ranked, professional players.

Organizers informed us that San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Assemblywoman Fiona Ma will stop by the event, and promise ping-pongers they can have their photo taken with the politicos.

Participants can register online (printable form also available). Entry fees are $16 for adults,$12 for juniors (under 18).

The tournament takes place on Sunday, September 4 and Monday, September 5 from 9am until 7pm each day. Visit the event website for a complete schedule of events.

Sarah B.