SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Only six part-time park rangers monitor The City’s parks and recreation centers, leaving weekday shifts empty and rangers working without support.

The rangers, who work for the Recreation and Park Department, monitor public parks, landmarks such as Coit Tower, and sports facilities such as tennis courts and pools. With more than 200 facilities and 3,400 acres in the department’s jurisdiction, the rangers open and close facilities, appear at and monitor events on park grounds, assist police and respond to burglar alarms, among other things.

The rangers also hand out citations for offenses such as drug use, overnight camping, parking violations, off-leash dogs and vending without a permit. In 2006, there were 2,000 parking citations and 150 other citations given by rangers.

Major complaints at city parks are about graffiti, damage to park property and litter, according to Parkscan, a Neighborhood Parks Council Web site that allows city residents to register their complaints. Park advocates say such damage could be avoided with the presence of more full-time rangers.

Because there are only six rangers, there is only one ranger on duty at a time and the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, Monday through Friday, is not staffed. Proposed changes to staffing are being floated, with discussions surrounding making the rangers full-time or hiring additional rangers.

“There are two different things going on in parks — lots of destruction, like graffiti, and security issues. There needs to be a presence in the park,” said Kathy Howard, a member of the SF paRC organization that has been advocating changes to the park-ranger program. She said she is glad the commission is addressing the problems.

Eugene Hsin, president and co-founder of the Park Rangers Association and a park ranger, said he visits up to 30 facilities a day and that an increase in manpower would help him better serve the public — and feel safer.

“I’m concerned because when I’m working I have no backup, unless I call SFPD. One of my co-workers was shot at once in Golden Gate Park. If we can get full-time status and become a minimum of 12 members, we can make a difference,” Hsin said.

Rose Marie Dennis, spokeswoman for the Recreation and Park Department, said the proposal was not based on any kind of urgency, but more as a general improvement by the department to ensure public safety and protection of the parks.

Andrea O’Leary, a parks advocate, said one of her biggest issues with lack of coverage at the parks is unleashed dogs. She said more rangers would be able to cite the dog owners with a $23 parks code violation ticket and improve conditions, but simply making the rangers fulltime won’t be enough to keep track of those breaking leash laws.

“This is an extremely big problem. A lot of these places are trashed; they need more rangers, full-time won’t be enough in order to secure our parks and keep them safe, stop them from being vandalized and enforce park codes,” Andrea O’Leary, a parks advocate, said.

The issue will be up for discussion at the Recreation and Park Commission on Jan. 31.

E-mail Eleni Economides at eeconomides@examiner.com.

Comments from Examiner Readers

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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