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- Park Improvements/
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- Stern Grove Playground Renovation/
Stern Grove Playground Renovation
Scope of Work
Stern Grove Playground is part of Stern Grove Park, a 64-acre park in a unique forest setting with mature trees. The playground is located at Sloat and 21 st Avenue and was last renovated in the 1980s. This project will completely renovate the children’s play area to improve safety and accessibility.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, more than 250 community members provided input on the eventual design via surveys and community meetings. This input resulted in a design that offers imaginative nature-based play and amplifies the park’s existing woodland character.
Conceived as a small village of tree houses, park users will be transported into a forested wonderland with nature-inspired features that allow climbing, sliding, swinging, and imaginative play.
The playground design seeks to respect the historic and natural aesthetic of Stern Grove while creating an exciting and contemporary neighborhood resource.
Some highlights from the new design include:
- Play equipment serving children ages 2-12, featuring play tree-like tower structures (both youth and tot), natural timber logs, climbing nets, swings, and a nature exploration area.
- New accessibility features, including ADA-compliant crosswalks, gates, pathways, sidewalks, and an accessible boardwalk within the children’s play area.
- New site furnishings, including wood deck steps and a sinuous concrete curb wall to improve seating options.
- New planting and irrigation, including re-sodding the lawn adjacent to the playground.
The Stern Grove playground renovation project is part of the LetsPlaySF! Initiative , a partnership between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the San Francisco Parks Alliance, and is driven by the transformative power of play to improve wellness, creativity, and community.
Project Costs
Total project budget: $4,139,300
Funding
- General Fund: $1,340,000
- 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond – Let’sPlaySF! Initiative: $946,199
- 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond – Forestry Program: $187,300
- San Francisco Parks Alliance Grant: $1,303,801
- Commission Contingency: $362,000
Total Sources: $4,139,300
Estimated Project Schedule
Phase | Timeline |
|---|---|
Planning | Winter 2020 |
Design | Spring 2021 |
Construction | Summer 2024 |
Open to the public | Mid-2025 |
Project Updates
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Project Updates
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, May 2025
The playground continues to take shape with the installation of the playground towers and other climbing elements. We are looking forward to wrapping up construction this summer Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, April 2025
The second shipment of custom play equipment was received last week, and the final delivery is expected within the next two weeks. On-site installation of catch basins is currently underway, and the construction team continues to make steady progress on Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, March 2025
The first shipment of the custom play equipment has been received, and the contractor is preparing the site to install the same Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, February 2025
The contractor is currently installing gopher wires between the boulders and preparing to install the permeable rock base for the play area. There has been a delay in the delivery of the custom play equipment due to the snowstorms in Toronto but the Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, January 2025
The contractor is currently focused on replacing the fencing along Sloat Avenue and completing the final stages of boulder placement within the playground Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, December 2024
The contractor is installing the boulder border at the edge of the playground and constructing the wooden boardwalk. Next step will be installing the playground equipment in early 2025 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…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, November 2024
Since our last update in October, the contractor is pouring concrete for the boardwalk footings and working on the tiered seating that connects the lawn to the playground Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, October 2024
Site demolition is complete, and the contractor is currently laying out the boardwalk and concrete footings for the new stepped seating. They are also making site drainage improvements Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, September 2024
Construction has begun! Construction fences are up and the contractor is now working on demolition and off-haul of the old playground equipment. They will begin site utilities next Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, August 2024
We are eagerly awaiting construction to begin on-site. We anticipate that work will start on-site in September. The contractor is putting together a schedule, and the playground equipment is being fabricated Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Playground Renovation Begins!
Last week, we kicked off the Stern Grove Playground renovation! The project will include new furnishings, accessibility improvements, and a complete makeover of the children’s play area with tree-like play structures, natural timber logs, climbing nets Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, July 2024
Our contractor is getting ready for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation. They recently ordered the new playground equipment and will begin work at the site in September. Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Construction update, June 2024
We are excited to share that construction will begin this summer on the Stern Grove Playground Renovation Project. The project includes a full renovation of the playground elements with new structures, surfacing and landscaping. There will also be a new Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, May 2024
The contractor selected for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation Project is working on their paperwork and getting insurance and bonds together. We anticipate being able to share a construction start date soon Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, April 2024
The Recreation and Park Commission approved the award of the Stern Grove Playground Renovation project’s add alternates, which include new fencing along a portion of Sloat Blvd, a new irrigation system for the field adjacent to Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, March 2024
Our contractor, Minerva Construction, is working on signing the contract and completing paperwork related to starting construction. We are also happy to share that we will be Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, February 2024
The Recreation and Park Department Commission has approved awarding the construction contract for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation to Minerva Construction. Staff have also Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, January 2024
We are excited to announce that we received three bids from prospective contractors for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation! We are currently evaluating the bids and we will Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, December 2023
We have officially published the bid documents for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation. We held an on-site meeting with Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | Project update, November 2023
Construction is estimated to start by mid-2024. We are working now to finalize our Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | March 2023 update
As a quick update on the Stern Grove Playground Renovation, we are making some refinements to the final concept design, while continuing regulatory and construction bid preparation Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Renovation | February 2023 update
We are wrapping up our construction documentation for the playground renovation at Stern Grove… Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Virtual Community Meeting #3 12/14 at 5pm!
Join us for the third community meeting for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation Project. . . Read on…
Stern Grove Playground Virtual Community Meeting #2 (7/21 at 5pm)
Join us for the second community meeting for the Stern Grove Playground Renovation Project. . . Read on…
Documents and Materials
Commission Materials
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, Stern Grove Playground Renovation – Contract Amendment, March 20, 2025 (PDF)
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, Stern Grove Playground Renovation - Contract Increase, April 18, 2024 (PDF)
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, Stern Grove Playground Renovation - Contract Award, February 15, 2024 (PDF)
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, Stern Grove Playground Renovation - Conceptual Design, April 6, 2022
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, Let’sPlaySF! Related Agreement for Stern Grove and Richmond Playgrounds, July 18, 2019 (PDF)
Grant Materials
Community Meetings - Notes and Presentations
- Community Meeting #3, presentation, December 14, 2021 (PDF)
- Community Meeting #3, meeting announcement poster, December 14, 2021 (PDF)
- Community Meeting #2, presentation, July 21, 2021 (PDF)
- Community Meeting #1, presentation, February 18, 2021 (PDF)
Additional Project Documents
Contact Us
Alexis Ward
Project Manager Email Phone: 1-628-652-6641