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Dolores Park playground gets a makeover
How exciting to read that one of San Francisco's oldest -- and most treacherous -- parks is in for a multi-million dollar revamping in the next year or so, adding a monster kid space that will rival the recently renovated children's playground in Golden Gate Park.
missiondolorespark.com
It's like Dolores Park just challenged Golden Gate Park to a dance off.
It appears there will be some type of water and boat feature, a giant climbing hill, maybe some concrete slides, swings, suspension bridges and seemingly endless amounts of natural space to just run and dig and act like a kid. Sounds like planning is still under way, but if the finished product resembles anything like this drawing, Dolores Park goers are in for a treat.
According to a story in Thursday's Chronicle, a deal was struck to use private and public money to get the job done and this could serve as a model for future collabor ... zzzzzzzzz.
The point is, this park could be badass. But let's hope there's room for older kids, too.
As I wrote last year, I've always been conflicted about this old- school park. The '70s-era equipment is way too big and dangerous for my 2-year-old, and yet -- she won't be 2 forever and will someday soon be pushed off all the playgrounds that are seemingly built with only toddlers in mind. Someone commented in the previous story about how older kids need space, too -- and that couldn't be more true. I hope the finished product stays close to these drawings, because it looks like there's lots of stuff for the young and the old.
I don't really have a conversation starter here -- parks, yeah! -- but I just wanted to provide an update on what's going on.
MIKE ADAMICK also writes at Cry It Out: Memoirs of a stay-at-home dad and Babble.com. He knows that no matter how awesome, somewhere in San Francisco, someone is begrudging a kid a new park.
| April 03 2009 at 08:08 AM
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