SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Nancy Madynski has found everything from used condoms to knives while sifting through playground sand at Mission Dolores Park.

Members of Friends of Dolores Park Playground sift the sand monthly — a volunteer activity aimed at keeping the playground safer and cleaner for children. But the playground’s aging wooden structures and outdated access have earned it a $1.5 million private donation that will allow neighbors, the Neighborhood Parks Council and The City to completely renovate the playground next year.

“One of our girls just pinched her hand in the metal on the jungle gym, and I’m sure you can get splinters from this wood,” Evan Kinkel, an afterschool program coordinator with Mercy House, said while sitting on the playground’s distinctive wooden boat. “This park has its issues, but given its history and the views, it’s still worth it.”

The Neighborhood Parks Council assigned 30 local parks a “D” or “F” rating on a 2006 report card. Many of them feature aging, rusting structures that leach arsenic and other toxic materials into the sand children play in, according to Isabel Wade, the nonprofit’s executive director.

Over the next two years, 20 of those playgrounds will be rehabilitated to some degree by the Parks Council — with help from neighborhood volunteer labor. Another 10 will be renovated as part of the $185 million bond package approved by voters in February.

The group rebuilt Crocker Amazon Playground in 2002 and Balboa Playground this year — the latter for roughly $600,000, half the cost of city-run renovations, Wade said. Getting neighbors to do the work not only saves money, but makes them feel responsible for the long-term success of a playground, she said.

“In organizing the community, we found that they’re still working to get more done,” Wade said. “They feel real ownership of the site now.”

The Parks Council is also leading renovations at Franklin Square, which earned an “F” and is not slotted for any bond funds. Between now and 2009, eight other playgrounds will be rehabilitated to some degree, including Hunters Point Recreation Center, South Park, West Sunset Playground and James Rolph Playground.

By 2010, it hopes to address 10 more playgrounds, bringing the worst to at least a “C” level.  Although the Parks Council is pioneering work on many of these parks, it has The City’s encouragement.

“Anytime people mobilize to make changes in their community, and to the extent that it occurs, it’s very good for The City,” Recreation and Park Department spokeswoman Rose Dennis said.

bwinegarner@examiner.com

Playground repairs

» Dolores Park (Mission-Castro)

» Franklin Square (Mission-Potrero)

» Hamilton Recreation Center (Western Addition)

» Hunters Point Recreation Center (Hunters Point-Bayview)

» James Rolph Playground (Mission-Bayview)

» Palega Playground (Portola-Silver Terrace)

» Precita Park (Bernal-Mission)

» South Park (South Park-Rincon)

» St. Mary’s Square (Chinatown)

» West Sunset Playground (Sunset)

Comments from Examiner Readers

11:15 AM MST on Tue., May. 13, 2008 re: "Pet owners getting dogged looking for a place to park"

Miraloma neighbor said:
Dog owners at Miraloma Playground do not follow the leash rules up there. The dogs crap and pee all over the field, on the tennis courts. They dig with their paws. The grass field will be wrecked before the summer is over. Dog owners rationalize having their dogs with stupid arguments. Let the kids have a nice field to play on, keep your Mutt on leash and walk it around the block!

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12:32 PM MST on Mon., May. 12, 2008 re: "Pet owners getting dogged looking for a place to park"

Examiner Reader said:
Yeah, hardly any dog owners ever pick up after their dogs ... it is disgusting. How is it any differnt from humans using the streets for toilets? It smells just as bad. Why don't those people have their dogs crap and urinate in front of their OWN HOUSES instead of in front of MY HOUSE? My favorite comment this week "get over it -- when it rains, it will wash it away" ...uh, it is the month of MAY, idiot.

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11:56 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 29, 2008 re: "City rejects PGA Tour�s bid for fungicide use at Harding"

Examiner Reader said:
Rather than pressuring SF to use dangerous chemicals the PGA ought to be threatening to stop having tournaments at golf courses that don't use recycled water. Harding Park uses Hetch Hetchy water. What a terrible waste.

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9:20 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 26, 2008 re: "Neighborhood parks are making the grade"

Examiner Reader said:
I wish Supervisor Maxwell and others so inclined, would stop with the comments re: the more affluent neighborhoods receiving the bulk of park funding. As an employee of the Recreation and Park Dept. I can tell you that, through the years, a lot of tax dollars have been allocated to the southeast quadrant of the city, more often at the expense of other areas of the city to address such concerns as playground/field maintenance and recreation programming. This is an area of the city that appears to expect certain entitlements, yet cannot uphold their end of the bargain to respect and work with our department to help maintain our resources. It's tiring to constantly hear that this area is so underfunded and how it's the Recreation and Parks Dept's fault for not doing this, or not doing that. When their play structures, buildings and equipment are vandalized and program attendance is low, we still make the necessary repairs and do the community outreach. And this is still our fault? C'

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10:39 AM MST on Sun., Mar. 16, 2008 re: "New proposal for downtown space wins over hearts"

Justine said:
it looks weird that the building is on a high side n the surrounding is low.. why not make it same plane field so it won't look like theres a huge building out of no where???!?!? or face the other building towards ryans park n not block behind JCC...

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3:04 AM MST on Sun., Dec. 2, 2007 re: "Once empty lot, now part of community"

Examiner Reader said:
You should see the beautiful 20,000 Christmas lights on the garden of eden on 2600 block of Eager street. This is the twelve years of lifting the spirit of the children and residents. Another example of what to do with a vacant lot - save lives. The lights are on from 5p.m. to 1.33a.m.

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6:46 PM MST on Fri., Jun. 1, 2007 re: "Future park among largest in county"

Examiner Reader said:
The traffic on woodbine road is bad enough as it is so lets build something to bring in more. The people that were born and raised in woodbine have moved away because of the over crowding and the outsiders coming in. We don't need another yuppie park where people can drive in with their lexus', what about a park were you can drive your tractor in,you know something for the farm people.Lets listen to the people OF WOODBINE not the people thats lived here for a few years.

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7:35 PM MST on Thu., May. 24, 2007 re: "Future of Rash Field�s volleyball park is uncertain"

Ryan said:
Its interesting that with such a large demand for the Volleyball courts, all of the proposals for the new park have less area for volleyball. There is nothing like city officals that don't listen to the people. You got to love it!

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