Completed January 2026. 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.
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.
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.
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!
This project will improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists on the segment of Visitacion Avenue within McLaren Park between Mansell and Hahn streets.
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 receive updates about all our active projects in McLaren Park, please visit the News Flash section of our webpage and subscribe to "Rec Park Improvements: McLaren Park | All project updates,” or pick-and-choose your subscriptions by project name. To receive updates about all our active projects, subscribe to "Rec Park Improvements | All Project Updates."
To apply, attending a pre-application workshop is mandatory. The last pre-application workshop is Saturday, February 21 with the workshop registration deadline this Saturday, February 14. Rec and Park’s Community Opportunity Fund is a program that Read on...
Nominations are open for Rec and Park’s Community Opportunity Fund, a program that supports community-driven park improvement projects across the city. The first deadline is approaching, and attendance at one of two February workshops is a required Read on...
We’re getting very close to completing the McLaren Park - Trails Improvement Project! Our contractor has completed planting and a small bridge in the restored drainage area north of the Upper Reservoir and will be working on the planting area near Read on...
We have two community information sessions scheduled: Saturday, January 24, 11am and Monday, January 26, 2:30pm. Join the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to learn more about the upcoming renovation of the playground equipment and Read on...
Nominations for Community Opportunity Fund (COF) projects are now open! To get started today: Visit the program page, review the sample application, application instructions, scoresheet, FAQs, and the Implementation Plan! Sign up for a Read on...
We have two community information sessions scheduled for January. Join the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to learn more about the upcoming renovation of the playground equipment and surfacing at the Louis Sutter Upper Playground. These Read on...
We’re excited to invite the community to celebrate the grand opening of the new Herz Recreation Center at 160 Mrs. Jackson Way in McLaren Park on Friday, January 9, from 3:30–5:00 p.m. The new recreation center includes an indoor basketball court with Read on...
Two community information sessions now scheduled for January. Please join the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to learn more about the upcoming renovation of the playground equipment and surfacing at the Louis Sutter Upper Playground. These Read on...
REMINDER: Join Rec and Park for our second community meeting to discuss the revitalization of the baseball and softball fields at Crocker Amazon. The San Francisco Giants are partnering with Rec and Park to renovate six baseball and softball fields with Read on...
Join Rec and Park for our second community meeting to discuss the revitalization of the baseball and softball fields at Crocker Amazon. The San Francisco Giants are partnering with Rec and Park to renovate six baseball and softball fields with new Read on...
We’re getting close! The gym is nearly finished, all the outdoor fitness equipment has been installed, and we’re focused now on some of the final activities needed to complete the project, including installing furnishings, surfacing near the Read on...
Work is continuing on University Hill in McLaren Park, between Louis Sutter Playground and the courts near Mansell. The new ribbon trail is almost complete, with the finishing touches and accessibility inspections scheduled for this week and Read on...
Please join us (in-person or online) for a presentation of the Vision Plan Update and 2020 Bond Funding Allocations at Recreation and Park Commission. This Thursday, August 21st at 10am. The McLaren Park Vision Plan (2018) has guided our Read on...
Our contractor has finished grading for accessibility at the ribbon trail on University Hill. They have installed several salvaged granite benches along the route to take advantage of the sweeping views over the Read on...
The biggest event of the year is happening at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater this Saturday, and the McLaren Trails project is reopening the Upper Reservoir parking lot to accommodate the crowds. The contractor has completed the ADA van parking space in the Read on...
Starting in late 2022, Rec and Park conducted extensive community and stakeholder engagement to get feedback on how to prioritize the investment of $6 million from the 2020 Health and Recovery Bond in McLaren Park. Throughout June and July 2025, we Read on...
Exciting progress continues at Herz Recreation Center! Inside the recreation center, the space is coming together beautifully. Many of the interior finishes are complete, including sleek tilework in the restrooms, new cabinetry for the office and Read on...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Since our last update in January, we installed rebar, are building a mock-up for a portion of the exterior of the building, and the contractor will soon begin pouring the building’s concrete footings. We’ll keep Read on...
At the east end of Mansell Street in McLaren Park, the restroom and clubhouse building near the tennis courts was destroyed by two arson fires in the past three months. Demolition at Mansell East will begin this week Read on...
For the last four years, the Recreation and Park Department has been engaging neighbors and other stakeholders, developing designs, and working through regulatory compliance for priority trail improvements and natural features restoration in McLaren Park Read on...
Our contractors are wrapping up the installation of the new rain garden and improvements to the ADA parking spaces in the Geneva Street parking lot at Crocker Amazon. We’re expecting substantial completion of this project and pivoting to closeout by the Read on...
Since our last update in November, demolition, excavation, and site work has wrapped up. Contractors are now working on preparing the footings for the future building structure Read on...
The Shelley Promenade in McLaren Park is now a permanent pedestrian promenade after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors signed the conversion into law on October 24. This nearly half-mile stretch of Read on...
Rec and Park, in partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), is “daylighting” the historic Yosemite Creek in McLaren Park. “Daylighting” is the process of uncovering and restoring a natural creek that was enclosed in Read on...
Our contractors are working to complete the Geneva parking lot expansion and installation of the new rain garden at Crocker Amazon. Sidewalk repair and other paving improvements will require Read on...
The Herz Playground renovation is now all complete! All restrooms are now open and available, and all of the new picnic tables, partitions, and permanent fencing have also been installed. Thank you for Read on...
Since our last construction update in October, our contractors have completed surveying the site and installing all the necessary tree protection measures. This month, we will Read on...
We’re happy to report that all five of the Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields are now completely renovated and opened to the public again. Our contractors are now Read on...
In June 2023, SF Recreation and Park Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve the conversion of a section of John Shelley Drive in McLaren Park, from a vehicular roadway to a permanent pedestrian and bicycle promenade Read on...
Rec and Park, in partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), is daylighting the historic Yosemite Creek in McLaren Park, as well as Read on...
Construction on Field 5 was completed this month, which means that Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields 1, 2, and 5 are now completely renovated and opened to the public again. Construction on the remaining two fields Read on...
Thank you to all of the community members who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, including our speakers: Mayor London Breed, District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton Read on...
Creative new play equipment for kids of all ages and a park makeover inspired by nature greeted families at the renovated Herz Playground in McLaren Park Read on...
The southern parking lot and driveway from University Street at Woolsey Street will be closed Wednesday, August 23 through Thursday, August 24 for irrigation and paving repairs. Pedestrian access to the Read on...
On June 15, our Rec and Park Commission unanimously approved a contract award to SJ Amoroso Construction Co., LLC. to construct the new Herz Rec Center Read on...
Hello neighbors! We have two important updates to share about John McLaren Park. The McLaren Park Planning Survey has been extended through 8/25/2023 Read on...
A quick construction update on Louis Sutter Playground. We passed our accessibility inspections and construction fencing is coming down soon Read on...
We wanted to share an update on the turf replacement happening now at Crocker Soccer. Fields 1 and 2 will be re-opened by late July and then Read on...
We’ve created a new map-based survey to collect your thoughts on possible programming, infrastructure, and connectivity improvements in John McLaren Park. Please take 15-20 minutes Read on...
Join us for a Virtual Community Meeting on April 11. The project team will share possible project ideas for specific program areas, infrastructure improvements, and Read on...
Join us for a Virtual Community Meeting on April 11. The project team will share possible project ideas for specific program areas, infrastructure improvements, and Read on...
The final draft conceptual design for the McLaren Trails Priority Improvements project will be presented to the Recreation and Parks Capital Committee . . . Read on...
The McLaren Park Native Plant Garden transforms a blighted and hazardous corner of McLaren Park into a functional open space, providing a safe resource for recreation and environmental education about the . . . Read on...
I hope you are well and finding opportunities to connect with nature and virtually connect with community during this time of sheltering in place. Read on...
Work is continuing at the Group Picnic Area. The curb walls are being finished this week and the play equipment footings will start to be poured. Read on...
The McLaren Park Trails Improvement Project team has applied for another grant in an effort to leverage already committed 2012 Bond funding. Read on...
