McLaren Park
McLaren Park - Herz Recreation Center Project
The Recreation and Park Department is partnering with the HOPE SF Team, including Mercy Housing and Related CA, to construct a new recreation center/gymnasium at Herz Playground.
McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Playground ADA
This project will remove existing impediments for accessibility according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
McLaren Park - Pedestrian, Bike and Streetscape Projects
The McLaren Park Pedestrian, Bike and Streetscape Projects is an effort to improve safety for people walking, biking, taking transit and driving on McLaren Park’s streets and wide pathways, including: Visitacion Avenue; Sunnydale Avenue; Crocker Amazon access; and John Shelley Drive Promenade.
McLaren Park - Shelley Promenade Project
Approved October 2023. This project converted nearly half-mile section of Shelley Drive in McLaren Park to a car-free promenade to improve safety and comfort for all park users.
McLaren Park - Trails Improvement Project
The improvements proposed by the McLaren Park Vision Plan build on the existing trail network, including Philosopher’s Way.
McLaren Park - Vision Plan
The Recreation and Park Department will be investing $6 million of 2020 Bond funding in McLaren Park. Learn more about the planning phase and get involved!
McLaren Park - Yosemite Creek Daylighting Project
Rec and Park, in partnership with SFPUC, is daylighting the historic Yosemite Creek in McLaren Park and piloting a high efficiency irrigation/stormwater reuse system at the Louis Sutter playfield
The list above includes active projects and initiatives. To check out some of our completed park improvements at McLaren Park, please visit our McLaren Park - Completed Park Improvements page.
Project Updates
If you would like to sign-up for Project Update blog posts like the ones below, click here , scroll down to the News Flash section, and then select “RPD Park Improvements | All Project Updates” to receive updates on all our active projects, or pick-and-choose your blog subscriptions by project name. You’ll receive an email that includes a link to confirm your new subscription for each blog for which you sign-up.
Project Update Blog
McLaren Park | Focus groups help refine maps and signs
Connectivity planning has been a major focus of McLaren Park 2020 Bond Planning and Vision Plan updates. As part of ongoing project scoping and outreach, Rec and Park staff held three focus groups in May 2025. Representatives from various Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, June 2025
Our McLaren Trails contractor continues to make great progress on trail and natural features restoration work at the Upper Reservoir. In the last several weeks, they have finished grading work and installed new drainage and irrigation. They have poured Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, May 2025
In late April and early May, our contractor completed trail work along the western portion of “Main,” wrapping up planned improvements to this major trail artery between the Upper Reservoir and Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. You’ll notice that much of the Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, April 2025
We’ve made good progress on the trail work and natural features restoration at the Upper Reservoir and throughout the Shelley Inner Core. At the Upper Reservoir, the sloping walkway from the parking lot to the reservoir level was completed, and our Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update, April 2025
Construction is progressing well at the Herz Recreation Center. Utilities are being tied in, basketball hoops have been installed, and both interior and exterior finishes are underway. These finishings will continue in the coming months. We anticipate Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, March 2025
In February, work was completed on the new pedestrian trail along Visitacion Avenue. This trail improves connectivity between Hahn and the Visitacion Valley Middle School and creates a more accessible connection from the sidewalk at Leland into the Read on…
Crocker Amazon Baseball and Softball Fields Renovation | Community meeting on February 20, 6-7:30pm
Join the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to discuss the renovation of the baseball and softball fields at Crocker Amazon. The San Francisco Giants organization approached the Department with a proposal to partner to install six baseball and Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Build Your Future with CityBuild Academy!
Rec Park is proud to collaborate with CityBuild and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to support workforce development. These partnerships have enabled us to engage local laborers, who are currently making an impact at Herz Rec Center. Read on…
McLaren Trails | McLaren Park Upper Reservoir Parking Lot closed, starting 1/20
Upper Reservoir Parking Lot and nearby trails and paths will be closed for more than a month, weather depending, starting 1/20. The pathway circling the Upper Reservoir remains open as do the connections to this pathway from Philosopher’s Way in the Read on…
McLaren Trails | Trail work underway in McLaren Park, near Jerry Garcia Amphitheater
The long-anticipated trail work has begun! Our contractor started work near the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, putting in place erosion control measures to reduce runoff that has flowed towards the Amphitheater Restroom in recent years. They’ve also begun Read on…
Let’sPlaySF! Initiative | Take the Let’sPlaySF! Playground Survey open through January 31, 2025
Thanks to the successful Let’sPlaySF! Initiative funded by the 2012 Park Bond, SF Parks Alliance, and philanthropic partners we are renovating 13 dilapidated playgrounds across our city. With 11 playgrounds already beautifully renovated and two more Read on…
McLaren Park | McLaren Park Collaborative meeting, November 18, 6:30 pm
Rec and Park staff will share various capital project updates at the virtual McLaren Collaborative meeting this evening, Monday 11/18, starting at 6:30 pm Read on…
McLaren Trails | McLaren Trails tree work almost complete
Our contractor has finished work on Philosopher’s Hill! Hazardous tree removals have made the trails more safe and improved the health of remaining trees by decreasing crowding and increasing light penetration and airflow through the forest Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update, October 2024
This month, we enjoyed celebrating the opening of the Sunnydale Community Center along with our partners from Mercy Housing, Related California, Boys & Girls Club, and Wu Yee Children’s Services Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree work is beginning on Philosopher’s Hill
Our contractor has just completed tree work in the heart of the Shelley Inner Core. In the central grove of large cypress trees—a well-shaded favorite of school groups and dog walkers—potentially hazardous branches were removed, and a eucalyptus stand was Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree Work begins in Inner Core
Our contractor returned to site last week, completing tree work around Grey Fox Creek and setting up fencing to begin work near the middle of Shelley Loop this week. The current active work area is near the intersection of Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update, August 2024
Herz Recreation Center is starting to take shape! The building’s slab is in place and the contractor is now working on the exterior walls Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree work continues & Contract award at Rec Park Commission this Thursday
Tree work continues as part of the first phase of construction for the McLaren Trails Priority Improvements project. Please be advised – Access to the University Hill area is now open again. Please use caution when traveling along the Read on…
McLaren Park – Shelley Promenade | Parking area opening near Mansell Street
Rec and Park is happy to announce the opening of a small parking area on John Shelley Drive West near Mansell Street at the Field of Dogs. Accessed from Mansell Street to the south, the area will accommodate over 20 vehicles, parked parallel to the Read on…
McLaren Park – Yosemite Creek Daylighting | Project updates, July 2024
We wanted to share that we will be wrapping up the design phase for the Yosemite Creek Daylighting Project by late 2024. The project is slated to begin construction by early 2025. Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update, July 2024
We are making exciting progress on the new Herz Recreation Center. The contractor recently installed cross laminated timber elements and glulam beams. They will be pouring the building’s foundation next and performing additional site grading. Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree work begins on University Hill
Our contractor has wrapped up initial work south of the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, and has moved out of the area to accommodate Shakespeare summer camps. The remainder of the tree work in this area will resume after a stretch of summer events. We continue Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update, June 2024
Construction is moving along at the new Herz Recreation Center! The steel columns are in place and the building is starting to take shape. We are looking forward to having our cross laminated timber elements installed starting next week. Read on…
McLaren Park | Temporary closures at the Amphitheater Parking Lot
Tree work continues south of Grey Fox Creek, with the removal of dead wood and hazardous trees, pruning of large branches extended over trails, and tree removals that will allow more light into the habitat restoration area around the riparian zone Read on…
McLaren Trails – Tree work continues south of Grey Fox Creek
A few weeks ago, we completed the planned tree work north and south of Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. This work is the first phase of project-related habitat restoration to support ecological health in the area surrounding Grey Fox Creek. The tree pruning and Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update May 2024
Check out these recent photos of the on-going activities at Herz Playground. The building’s walls are starting to go up! Read on…
Herz Recreation Center | Construction update April 2024
The project site has been busy as our contractor has poured the building’s concrete footings, and they are working on constructing the walls and Read on…
McLaren Trails Improvement Project | Construction update, April 2024
It’s been a quiet few weeks in McLaren Park, as our contractor postponed planned work due to bird nesting activity. A biologist conducted follow up pre-construction surveys over the weekend and Tuesday evening, and having received reports of no bird Read on…
McLaren Park – Yosemite Creek Daylighting | Project updates April 2024
We will be wrapping up the design phase in Spring 2024. Next, the project will move through permitting, review of contractor bids, and contract award. We’re on-track now to Read on…
McLaren Trails Improvement Project | Tree work wrapping up along Visitacion Avenue
Significant progress has been made on the tree work along Visitacion Avenue, with most of the pruning and removals complete. The focus has now shifted to restoration efforts, including grading and wood chip spreading. To ensure the health of the Read on…