Dear Friends,

Come hear Matt Jaffe perform in the playground tomorrow, July 27, from 10 to noon.

The State of the Park
This week we hosted a meeting to discuss the conditions at Upper Noe Rec Center. Joining us was Rec & Park Area 5 Manager Carol Sionkowski who directs maintenance and improvements here. Overall, we are very fortunate for the loving care and upkeep our beloved park receives. After all these years, it remains lovely, safe and inviting. Our partnership with Rec & Parks has been outstanding and they have been responsive to our needs. To her credit, Carol was recently promoted to Superintendent of Parks and Open Spaces – congratulations! We look forward to her leadership and to working with her replacement.

It has been 16 years since the renovation of Upper Noe Rec Center. General maintenance of the park has been good, especially the interior. Time takes a toll, though. Critical issues include the children’s playground surface, the tennis court retaining wall, and the deck in the dog run. Safety issues need to take priority. To highlight our areas of concern, we prepared a slide presentation.
Click here to view the slide presentation by Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center

Below is the response to our presentation and input from Carol Sionkowski:

• Tips for using 311 –
  • 311 requests go to Rec & Parks, then to the City app where managers see what to fix.
  • 311 is best used for small maintenance projects not big capital improvements.
• Children’s Play Area – 4 playgrounds get done per year out of 50 playgrounds citywide. Upper Noe is high on the list, but not at the top. Playground renovations are around $250k. The replacement material will be artificial turf and will look similar to the new surface at Balboa Park.
• Tennis court – eucalyptus tree roots are causing the retaining wall damage. The trees must be removed before repairs to the wall. When that work will be scheduled is not known.
• Dog Run Deck – it was built to preserve the 2 trees but it has no air circulation underneath and water rotted everything. Replacement is $50k. It is not known when resources will be available.
• Dog Run Drinking Fountain – it was repaired several times. New drinking fountains cost $10k. They are looking for a replacement.
• No big renovation plans are foreseen for Upper Noe right now.
• Small plans include replacing the benches around the baseball diamond.

September 21 – Upper Noe Block Party
Come celebrate our park and our neighborhood with an admission-free party featuring live music, dance, demonstrations, food, children’s activities and fun for all ages. Meet your neighbors and learn about local community groups, schools and activities. A fun-filled day that strengthens community connections. Free tables and space are available for local groups who want to participate. Email info@uppernoerecreationcenter.com

Concerts in the Park 2024
Enjoy this free live music series every other Saturday throughout the summer. Hear sweet harmonies and laid back tunes as you watch over your tots at play. Little ones will like the family-friendly music and be captivated by the performers, but do not expect to hear “Wheels on the Bus” or other children’s tunes. These performers are here to enhance your day not to distract from play.
* July 27 –  Matt Jaffe *
* August 10 –  B Street Express *
* August 24 –  The Leafs *
* September 7 –  Isa and Isidor *
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Promote park maintenance with 311.  If you see something, please say something. The most effective way to improve park conditions is to contact San Francisco Customer Service (311) either by phone, web or the super-easy-to-use phone app. Park personnel rely on your 311 reports to support service requests. Help them keep our park healthy.

Donate online at https://uppernoerecreationcenter.com/donate/
Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center is your stewardship group. Get involved and support a clean and safe space for everyone.

Enjoy your park!