street parks

Pattern Scale: Neighborhood

Description of the Pattern:

Conversion of median strips and other spaces along roads to small community parks and gathering spaces. San Francisco has pioneered the idea with its Street Parks program, allowing residents to take over, plan for, and maintain small parks. These are mostly median strips, but also include community stairways and other vacant parcels owned by the city’s Public Works Department. The program is a collaboration between Public Works and the San Francisco Parks Alliance. More than 200 street parks have been registered, with around 140 of these now active community parks. One requirement is that at least one local “steward” be designated who has responsibility for managing and coordinating efforts at the park. A plan must be prepared for how the land will be used and what the park will consist of.  One good example of what is possible is La Playa Park, a street park created from a narrow median along on the Pacific Ocean edge of the city. This small park has become a vibrant gathering space, and includes areas for growing vegetables and native plants, spaces to sit, and even a bocci ball court. Other good examples of street parks in the city include the Penn Street Gardens, Glen Park Greenway, and the Tomkins Stairway Gardens.

Contact: Claude Imbault, SF Parks Alliance, claude@sfparksalliance.org

Web page: https://www.sfparksalliance.org

Who Submitted this Pattern:  Tim Beatley, Biophilic Cities