It’s been 5 years in the making, but the renovation of Mountain Lake Park’s playground is finally about to begin. SF Rec & Park announced earlier this week that the $3.15 million project will begin in late August.
In addition to having brand new structures and separate play areas for preschool and school age children, the new playground will also have additional seating, expanded picnic and parents’ areas, and enhanced lake views. For improved safety and accessibility there will be limited entry points, smooth surfaces throughout, and improved sight lines for watching multiple children. View the full plans
The playground renovation is the final piece in the puzzle of a complete park overhaul. The remediation of Mountain Lake was recently completed by the Presidio Trust, and new restrooms adjacent to the playground were built in October 2013.
The playground renovation is funded by the 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, the city’s general fund, and just over $300,000 raised by the Friends of Mountain Lake Park Playground (FMLPP).
Three neighborhood mothers – Claire Myers, Jen Fetner and Kate Green – created the FMLPP to spearhead the project, working with SF Rec & Park, the city, the community and award-winning architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson to design the new playground and get it approved.
And raise hundreds of thousands of dollars from private donors to finish financing the project.
“After more than five years, we are thrilled to be at this final stage. It had been a truly collaborative process,” said Kate Green, member of FLMPP.
Fetner’s background in architecture, Green’s project management experience as a former management consultant, and Myers’s neighborhood understanding as a lifetime Richmond neighborhood resident were essential to this process.
The FMLPP’s (L to R) Claire Myers, Jen Fetner and Kate Green (2013)
INFORMATIONAL MEETING ON AUGUST 18
Anyone who wants to learn more about the renovations can come to a public meeting on-site at the playground on Tuesday, August 18 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. SF Rec & Park Project manager Mary Hobson will be there to talk about the project and answer any questions. View the project website
The Mountain Lake Park playground will be closed once the renovations begin, but all other areas of Mountain Lake Park will be accessible including the restrooms, tennis courts, meadow, walking paths, dog run, and PAR course.
And yes, the start for this year’s Jog in the Fog 5k family fun run will still take place in the park!
If you’re looking for a place to play while Mountain Lake playground is closed, check out these nearby playgrounds in the Richmond District (3 of which have been recently renovated!):
Rochambeau Playground – 238 25th Avenue
Fulton Playground – 855 27th Avenue (renovated in 2012)
Cabrillo Playground – 858 38th Avenue (renovated in 2013)
Lincoln Park Playground – 33rd Avenue & Clement (renovated in 2010)
We can’t wait to see the new Mountain Lake Park playground in Fall 2016!
Sarah B.
How does a small park cost $3.15m? They aren’t even updating the cement slides. Some bureaucrats are lining their pockets again.
was up there yesterday – signs on several mature trees, indicating they’re about to be removed. of course there’s all the feel-good speak about how the tree removal was described in the community-developed plans, the trees are going to be replaced with 9 new trees, etc. Yeah, and I suppose that when those 9 little saplings finally mature into attractive and shade-providing trees (assuming they aren’t vandalized to death, like so many saplings in Golden Gate Park), it’ll be time to re-do the playground again and they’ll be cut down too.
There’s a busy roadway that borders one side of the lake. A map shows Park Presidio Blvd becoming Veterans Blvd (north of Lake St), which is what borders the lake. I was shocked when they tore down the trees behind the lake that were a visual barrier to the roadway. They probably tore them down for the reason that the trees weren’t “native” to the park.
Are there any plans to replace those trees with some other trees, so at least there’s a visual barrier to the busy road behind the lake? It’s not very pleasant, sitting at the lake, watching the cars go whizzing by. It’s also noisy. At least the trees would provide an illusion of quietness. Why should the roadway be visible?
@Bring Back the Tree Barrier – They have replanted many trees to the side of the highway but it will take time for them to grow. Not sure why the remove the originals but the roadway caused a lot of contaminated runoff into the lake, hence the whole remediation project. Perhaps the trees were victim to that pollution as well, so they had to be removed?
Yes, now that you mention it, I remember reading about that. I really hope the barrier trees have been planted. I’ll check it out next time I go.