UPDATE:

Hi Park Lovers, 

Thank you for your support of the Michelangelo Makeover project! Whether you provided input, signed the petition, attended a community meeting or spread the word, you were an important part of this proposal.

On June 18, the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Commission announced that our COF application was approved for a $500,000 grant to improve the lawn, seating, decking and pergola at Michelangelo Park. We were one of seven approved projects out of 36 applicants. 

The Parks Department will start making repairs to the deck immediately. Later this summer, we will be assigned a project manager who will scope what is possible within our budgeted amount. The renovations are expected to kick off by Summer 2027. We will continue to keep you posted on opportunities to support the project. 

Full list of awarded project nominations for the Community Opportunity Fund Program in the 2020 Health and Recovery Bond:

1. Alemany Farm Accessibility Improvements
2. Balboa Park Skate Park Renovation
3. Howard and Langton Community Garden Gateway Project
4. John McLaren Park Repaving
5. McLaren Park Native Plant Garden Extension
6. Michelangelo Playground Makeover
7. Woh Hei Yuen 

The following projects are on a waitlist and will be awarded if funding is available:

1. Balboa Park Outdoor Fitness Equipment
2. Yik Oi Huang Peace & Friendship Park Revitalization
3. Sunset Dunes Showers
4. States Street Calisthenics Bars
5. Precita Park Welcome Mosaic

Thank you! We did it!
Stephanie
George
Jen

To learn more about this program, please visit https://sfrecpark.org/m/newsflash/home/detail/2940 or https://sfrecpark.org/1123/Community-Opportunity-Fund-2020-Bond 

Original petition below:

I am writing to express my strong support for the Michelangelo Park Makeover proposal. Michelangelo Park is an essential open space in our neighborhood, yet much of the park is unusable due to poor drainage. The Michelangelo Park Makeover proposal would transform the park by restoring the central lawn space, replacing deteriorated decking, and adding much-needed seating.

Currently the lawn, which makes up a third of this compact park, is a mucky sinkhole year-round due to poor grading and drainage. As a result, the lawn goes underused, and the pathways and shaded seating beyond it are often overlooked. Creating a healthy lawn would breathe life into the park, providing a welcoming place for both active play and quiet relaxation while reconnecting the park’s currently fragmented spaces. Children could freely run across the park rather than avoiding the muddy center. Picnics and lawn games would be possible. The impact of this one improvement would be transformative. 

Meanwhile, the wooden stairs and deck are worn and neglected, making splinters commonplace. The park’s only picnic table also sits fully exposed. Replacing the aging wood with more durable materials and adding a slatted pergola would transform the picnic area and entry stairs into an inviting gathering space for visitors of all ages. 

The park also has limited seating options. Incorporating a seat wall around the lawn, similar to the design at Francisco Park’s oval, would offer a relaxing space for parents, kids, and neighbors. 

In this densely populated neighborhood, where steep hills limit access to many parks, Michelangelo Park fills a critical need. It’s the secondary playground for the two public elementary schools that frequent the park, a daily gathering place for dog walkers and a preferred location for birthdays and celebrations.  

I strongly encourage the Community Opportunity Fund Review Committee to select the Michelangelo Park Makeover proposal so this vital neighborhood park can better serve the residents, students, and families who rely on it every day.