We agree. Mission Playground has a long and storied history for competitive pick-up soccer games and we wanted to respect that.

We’d already been working with Rec/Park to make sure there is “open play time” at every synthetic turf field. Time’s been carved out and signs are being developed but haven’t been installed everywhere, including Garfield.

So when we proposed the renovation at Mission Playground, I went with Rec/Park’s Bob Palacio and spoke with the soccer players who use the field to make sure they wanted synthetic turf (they do!) and to jointly come up with “open play” hours so they can continue to play there as they’ve done for years while still providing some time earlier in the day for younger kids and the occasional “permitted” game on the new field.

The pick-up soccer players asked that these days and times be reserved for open play and Rec/Park agreed. When the field reopens a sign will be posted with the following hours:

Mission PG Soccer Field Open Play Time
All Ages
Mon, Wed, Fri – 6:30pm – close

Adults Only (15 and older)
Sunday – 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Youth Only (14 and under)
Sunday – 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Thanks for all the details! I’m bummed that it will be closed for so long, but hope the new turf field is an improvement.

One thing I’m really worried about – most turf fields start getting extra money by selling permits to reserve the field (such as Garfield square).

Will there be permits offered to play on the new turf field at Mission Playground? I really hope not. Permits may bring in money, but they push away the pick up games as teams / leagues show up and reserve the field. Currently, it’s the best place to play pick up soccer in the mission.. don’t let that go!

Join us for a groundbreaking event at 5:30pm this Wednesday, May 11 to learn more.

As for the park closure, the good news is that they plan to open the south side of the park (including the new soccer field) in mid-next year even while work continues on the clubhouse and other parts of the park.

Here’s a little more detail about what’s going to happen. The water garden will be really cool for the neighborhood kids too.

“Park repairs getting underway include remodeling the old and worn-down clubhouse for seismic safety and increased natural light, resurfacing the busy tennis and basketball courts, replanting a lawn, installing new childrens play equipment, improving park accessibility and safety, and replacing the old, asphalt soccer field with a state-of-the-art synthetic turf field!

Following in the footsteps of other successful Mission District park renovations, a new water garden will feature ornamental fountains spraying mist and showering water for young children’s play and delight. A local artist, Michael Bartalos, designed a new decorative park fence along Valencia with whimsical characters and scenes celebrating the colorful and unique neighborhood.

Most of the $7.5 million park improvements are funded through the 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond. The non-profit City Fields Foundation is donating the soccer field renovation as part of the Playfields Initiative partnership with Recreation and Parks, which seeks to eliminate the deficit of sports fields for youth athletics in San Francisco.”

Hope some of you can make the groundbreaking next week. And if you like the synthetic turf fields, be sure to sign the petition on our website (cityfieldsfoundation dot org) so we can do more!

Thanks,
P

You can make all that shit happen fast, but it costs more.

Don’t let that get in the way of your hipster hate, though.

And for something constructive: Garfield park also has a nice soccer field that’s well-utilized. Public swimming pool, too.