McKinley Square

Pictures from MLK Weekend at McKinley Square, January 15, 2012

2012-01-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

We had a special MLK weekend event at McKinley Square on January 15th, 2012.
Thank you for all the volunteers who braved the unusually cold windy and day.

Special guests Liam O'Brien from SFButterFly & D10 Supervisor Malia Cohen joined us.

Liam O'Brien giving a talk on the importants of Butterflys in the eco-system

Weeding and Mulching

Distribution of native plants to volunteers

Grindelia stricta coastal - Gumweed

Sticky Monkeyflower

California/Pacific aster

Coyote Mint

Phacelia californica,
Yarrow,
Lupinus albifrons - silver bush lupine,
California Fescue

Gumplant and other plugs

Another invasive weed

Foxtail weed seed heads (arrow shaped, hazardous to pets)

McKinley Square Sunday January workday 15th 10am-12noon, MLK weekend

2012-01-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars

A special volunteer day at

McKinley Square for Martin Luther King Service Weekend

Sunday January 15th, 10am-12noon

Clear weeds on plants we planted in October

Improve trails

Remove fennel

General clean up of garbage & debris

Planting new native plants

Special guests, Liam O'Brien from SFButterFly, who will give a talk on the importance of native plants, and their support for native wildlife.

Supervisor Malia Cohen, who also joined us with the MLK Day of Service workday at the 18th & San Bruno Ave Community Garden in 2010.

http://www.potreroview.net/feat10156.html

Lunch will be sponsored by Goat Hill Pizza. Drinks by Chiotras Grocery

Volunteers are encouraged to bring gloves and tools if they have them. Otherwise we will supply.

All volunteers will get to go home with a few native plants for their back, side, and front yards. Plants that promote native wildlife for the hillside is good for home gardens as well!

RSVPs encouraged but not required. Helps us know how much pizza, drinks & plants to have on hand. RSVP to:

Observations on Parking Meters at SF Main Train Station

2012-01-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Parking meters may come to parts of Potrero Hill, and likely around the 22nd St train station.
A draft of the plan is here:

http://sfpark.org/resources/draft-mission-bay-parking-management-strategy/

Some observations I've noted around the 4th & Townsend train station.

In the past, I've seen the parking around the 4th & Townsend train station was completely filled with many vehicles in almost abandoned state . So in this case I would consider meters are not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps if they were managed well, people would carpool to the train station, then take the train for their commute.

Parking meters have been added. A metered car can get a 9 hour max (which is good if you take the train to work day).

However there are now hundreds of spaces available. Why the 100s of spaces? I checked the price at 11am yesterday the price was $3.00 an hour. Calculating this could be a $27 dollar increase per day commute, this only encourages people to drive to work rather than take Cal-Train. This seems like it defeats the whole purpose of the Cal-Train.

SFMTA representatives have stated their goal is to always have 1 empty space on a block. It seems like they are failing with the 4th & Townsend main train station area.

SFMTA should encourage people to take mass transit such as Cal-Train. And the price for meters around the train stations should start at 25 cents hour, not $3 hour.

Perhaps more parking (with reasonably priced meters) should be made available around the train stations, including the 22nd Street train station, which now seems to have parking for big-rig trucks, and other industrial projects instead of commuter parking.

SFMTA can still adjust, perhaps something is already in the works, but until they prove themselves, can we can trust them to manage parking in Dog Patch & Potrero Hill?

Hundreds of empty train station parking spaces. Hundreds of cars now on the road?

Old Ugly/Trashy Pictures of McKinley Square Hillside

2012-01-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

These pictures were taken a few years back at / around the McKinley Square Hillside.

Its a pleasant reminder of how improved the hillside is now compared to not so long ago.

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for all your hard work and volunteer time!

Kansas St At Caesar Chavez, San Francisco 1950s

2011-12-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Caesar Chavez St (formerly Army St) at Kansas St, Potrero Hill, San Francisco, 1950s

Second Sundays (November) Sustainable planting

2011-11-21T20:33:00.000-08:00

Pictures from another successful McKinley Square community workday on November 13, 2011.

This is part of a multi month and year planting effort to improve the hillside with new and improved trails, cleanup trash & graffiti, push out non-native invasive species (such as the fox tail weed) which are unsafe for dogs, and replace with native plants that will help the local butterflies, and other insects, some of which are endangered.

Lunch was sponsored by Goat Hill Pizza & Chiotras Grocery. Thank You to everyone who made this possible.

Next meet up is in January. Happy holiday season everybody! Thanks!

Stairs west side of Vermont St, Potrero Hill, San Francisco

2011-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

A few community members met with Mohammed Nuru (San Francisco Director of Public Works) last week. One of the items discussed was regarding installation of connecting stairs on the west side of Vermont St between 20th St and what would be 21st St (if there were a 21st st on Potrero Hill).

This is a adjacent to the curviest street in San Francisco, and the sloped hillside of McKinley Square. There are already existing stairs both at the Top and Bottom. We are pursing to connect these existing stairs to make the neighborhood more walkable, and safer. This area is somewhat be deemed a hazard, as it can get very slippery, especially in the rainy season.

The are for the needed stairs are roughly marked out in red on the image at below:

We have an architect who has offered to volunteer help with the planning as well as community members who are willing to help with the work. We are pursing this with SF DPW and Park & Recreation. If you would like to get involved, or have other thoughts, please email us at:

A visit to San Francisco Botanical Garden

2011-10-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

A nice center meeting place, perhaps the hillside trails off McKinley Square can have something similar, with a water fountain & lights.

Catepillar on the Asclepias Fascicularis (narrowleaf milkweed )

Caterpillars devouring Stinging Nettle

2011-10-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Even the Stinging Nettle plant has its purpose in nature, instead of just providing us painful reminder to stay away, it is a providing food source to local caterpillars.

These caterpillars look similar to the Peacock Butterfly

Anyone know for sure?

-------------------

After some analysis from Jake Sigg of Nature News and Liam O'Brien of SFButterfly,

Liam informed me these are likely Red Admirals.

Thank you! :-)

101 Freeway Accident & Helicopters wake up Potrero Hill

2011-10-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

Big rig accident on 101, whose most major impact on Potrero Hill was to wake everyone up at 6am with low flying news helicopters. At least 3 news helicopters were circling Potrero Hill at 6am and continued past 12noon until when the freeway opened.

Reportedly complaints about the helicopters can be made to the FAA

Alameda office (510) 748-0122

October 16th Planting Day a Tremendous Success

2011-10-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

On October 16th, volunteers from the local community, and SF Park & Recreation planted approximately 600 native & sustainable plants on the McKinley Square hillside.

This is part of a multi planting effort to push out non-native invasive species (such as the fox tail weed) which are unsafe for dogs, and replace with native plants that will help the local butterflies, and other insects, some of which are endangered.

Lunch was sponsored by Goat Hill Pizza & Chiotras Grocery. Thank You to everyone who made this possible.

Every flag or pot you see is a new plant planted on Oct 16.

Every pot in this picture is a newly planted plant

Every flag or pot you see is a new plant planted on Oct 16.

Thank you Goat Hill and Chiotras for sponsoring lunch!

The plants we started with, supplied by SF Park & Recreation and Community Donations.

2011-10-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

McKinley Square Hillside Planting

Join us! October 16th, 2011
10AM - 12Noon

Come join your fellow local community members

& SF Park & Recreation

Planting 100s of native /sustainable plants and improving trails on the McKinley Square hillside.

RSVP encouraged but not required

(RSVPing helps us know how many pizzas & plants to have on hand)

A Partial list of the plants being planted:
Yarrow - Achillea millefolium
Idaho Fescue - Festuca idahoensis
Red Fescue/ Molate Fescue - Festuca rubra molate
California Fescue - Festuca californica
Perennial Aster - Aster chilensis
Sticky Monkeyflower - Mimulus aurantiacus
Phacelia - Phacelia californica
Gum Plant - Grindelia camporum
Summer Lupine - Lupinus formosus

Volunteer Guidelines

· Old clothes—inevitably you will be getting dirty

· Layers of clothes—long pants and long sleeved shirt

· Sturdy, closed-toed shoes with good tread

· Raingear and/or sun block and sun hat

· Water or additional snacks for special dietary needs

· Gloves & tools—if you have them,, otherwise SFRPD will supply

· Projects take place rain or shine, barring high winds or dangerous weather conditions.

DRINKS SPONSORED BY Chiotras Grocery.

LUNCH SPONSORED BY:

Goat Hill Pizza

McKinley Square Futures meeting Oct 1, 2011 (Meeting 3 of ? )

2011-10-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

For meeting #3, the design park was split into quadrants, and people voted on what quadrants they wished to see the most improvement in. It appeared the hillside area got most of the 1st place votes (see conclusion picture at bottom of this page).

Individual features (sunshade in kids play area? restroom facilities? safe & clean zone on grass? ) still are possible.

For both short & long term goals, it may be worth while to put together a diverse working group in the community who can spend detailed time working with John Merten and Park & Recreation, keep the community informed their progress, solicit feedback both in person and electronically, and put together plan(s) for community approval.

Meanwhile, we can get started now. There is a native/sustainable planting on the McKinley Square hillside October 16th, 10am to 12noon. Please join us. You can RSVP at the email address below. RSVPs help us know how many plants to supply.

Stay tuned for date & time for meeting #4.

The complete video of meeting #3 is here:

Click on the images below for a large detailed design of each quadrants.

Quadrant A

Quadrant B

Quadrant C

Quadrant D

Results of community prioritization. Red dots are highest.

Potrero Hill spiders?

2011-10-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

All around Potrero Hill neighborhoods I see these large spiders. Some definitely bigger than 1 inch. Anyone have ideas what these are and any other details? Of course its kinda freaky walking through a spider web, but the question is... are these dangerous? I can get more pictures if you want.

Reminder of October 1st meeting 10:30am-12noon

2011-09-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

A reminder tomorrow, 10:30 -12 Noon

McKinley Square Design Meeting 3

at Downtown High School.

I've compiled a list of ideas of what has come up in the previous meetings. I am encouraging the landscape architect John Merten to formulate a priority list at the meeting tomorrow.

What I have compiled is below.

As I mentioned at the end of last meeting, there needs to be an identification of community priorities, what there is general consensus on, and what is controversial. From that list of priorities John Merten, or John Merten with the working group of diverse volunteers of the community can put together plans, solicit input to the community electronically and in person, and keep the community abreast of the progress eventually come back to the community for approval.

Going down the list of ideas/features, a show of hands on each one / and determine what the community is for or against may be one way to accomplish this.
Perhaps a very limited speak period (1 min) if they feel strong on the idea/feature.

Perhaps starting out with a general plan what area needs to be improved? Upper park?
Hillside?
A mix with emphasis on the hillside?
A mix with emphasis on the upper park?
Both equally?

Hillside
Removal of fox tail weeds?
Native/sustainable plants on hillside?
Improved trails on the hillside?
Stairs on west side of Vermont?
A flat grassy area on the hillside? (irrigated?) (non-native?)
Grass on slope? (irrigated?) (non-native?)
Drinking fountain on hillside (middle path)
Lights on middle path?
Bench(s) on hillside?
Table(s) on hillside?
Public art on the hillside?
Exercise / stretching stations?
Moving of cal-trans fence westward to have more trail area
<other features / ideas>?
(Perhaps a follow up question, if we have all the desired on hillside, would dog owners respect leash rules on upper park?)

Upper park
Leveling the upper park to street level?
Slope the park southernly?
BBQ area?
Bathrooms? (kid bathrooms only?)
Shade structure over playground?
New playground?
A play area for older kids? [what are examples of this?]
Safe & clean zone on grass?
A designated dog poop area (or should this be the hillside?)
A code of conduct document for dog owners?
A kiosk?
A loop on the upper park for walking & kids bikes?
Removal of fox tail weeds?
Plant more trees around park?
<other features / ideas>?

Slides from upper park to middle trail? Do these qualify as play area for older kids?
<other features / ideas>?

Proposal of Plants for McKinley Square Hillside

2011-09-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Community member Peggy L.L. composed a list of potential plants for the serpentine hillside along McKinley Square. We are aiming to have a planting day in early November, before the holidays, and early January, after the holidays.

The focus of the plants will be sustainable native plants that grow on Serpentine soil. These plant are aimed at promoting endangered native wild life such as the Mission Blue butterfly.

Peggy has supplied an extensive list, and it will be paired down for the planting efforts, as we will not be able to obtain and plant everything, and we will likely add other sustainable/native plants to this list as well. If you would like to join us in helping planning (and/or potentially donating towards) please join our meeting tonight, or email us at:

--------------------------

Notes on Plants for Serpentine Grasslands and Other Native Plant Possibilities for McKinley Square

From California Native Grasslands Association http://www.cnga.org/guide8.htm

· Remnant serpentine grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the Bay Area

· The serpentine prairie includes a wide variety of native grasses including Meadow barley, Bentgrass, California brome, Purple needlegrass*, California oatgrass, Big squirreltail and Blue wildrye. Other rare plants include the spring wildflower, Clarkia franciscana. [*Purple needlegrass will not be planted as it is a potential hazard for dogs. ]

· My thoughts: Deer grass is not mentioned but as listed above there are lots of other options some of which we can get from the San Bruno Mountain Nursery or from Larner Seeds.

Bunchgrasses of San Francisco and where they are found

· Nassella Pulchra, Bromus carinatus found at Starr King

· Danthonia californica (california oat grass) at McClaren

· Deschampsia caespitosa (tufted hairgrass) at McClaren

· Elymus glaucus (blue wild rye) East and West sides of the city

· Festuca californica (california fescue) East and West sides of the city

· Melica californica (red fescue) Bay View Hill

Flowers at Starr King photos at the end of the file. In addition to those flowers, the following could be found in serpentine grasslands

· Silver bush lupines

· Lupine varicolor

· California golden violet or Johnny jump ups (Viola pedunculata)

· Mule ears (Wyethia helenioides)

· Shooting stars (dodecatheon clevelandii ssp patulum)

· Allium unifolium

· Dutchman’s pipe vineAristolochia californica

· Solidago californica (California Goldenrod)

· Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla)

· Foothill penstemon Penstemon heterophyllus

· Stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium)

Skyline Serpentine Prairie Plant List 6/17/11

· Bicolored Linanthus ( LInanatus bicolor)

· Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)

· Bush Monkey Flower ( Mimulus aurantiacus)

· Blue-eyed Grass ( Sysyrinchium bellum)

· California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

· Climbing Morning Glory (Calystegia purpurata ssp.purpurata)

· Clover (Trifolium sp.)

· Cream Cups (Platystemon californicus)

· Goldfields (Lasthenia californica)

· Gum Plant (Grindelia sp.)

· Hayfield Tarweed (Hemizonia congesta ssp. luzulifolia)

· Ithuriel’s Spear (Triteleia laxa)

· Presidio Clarkia (Clarkia franciscana)

· Seep- Spring Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus)

· Soap -plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. divaricatum)

· Sticky Rosinweed (Calycadenia multiglandulosa).

· Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

· Yellow Mariposa Tulip (Calochortus luteus)

Potential native tree species that were found on Potrero Hill include coast live oaks, buckeyes, pacific madrone, toyon (large tree like shrub), knobcone pines, Islais cherry (Prunus iliciflora). There are 4 redwoods that look less than 100 years old though very large at 20^th near Carolina.

Here is a list of plants that could go under the pines (none of the existing pines or Monterey Cyprus would be there).

From Las Positas Nursery website: Plants for closed pine forest (like a knobcone pine)

Arctostaphylos manzanita

Armeria maritime (sea thrift)

Baccharis pilularis coyote brush

Ceonothus (wild lilac)

Danthonia californica

California Oat Grass

Sticky Monkey Flower

Equisetum hymale

Horsetail

Fremontodendron

Wood strawberry

Hummingbird sage

Gaultheria shallon

Heuchera micrantha

Horkelia

Douglas iris Iris douglasiana

Lonicera involucrata ledebourii

Lupinus arboreus

Monardella subglabra

Myrica californica

Wax myrtle

Ribes sanguineum glutinosum Red and pink flowering currant

Rubus ursinus

Satureja douglasii

Yerba Buena mint

Vaccinium ovatum

Aquilegia Formosa and Calystegia purpurata (E. Greene) Brummitt ssp. Purpurata, Zauschneria (California Fuschia) and Asclepias speciosa showy milkweed (for the Monarchs), and California wood rose Rosa gymnocarpa could also work under the trees. Lonicera hispidula (hairy honeysuckle) is found in Oak forests.

Possibilities for habitat and or corridors – Bay checkerspot, Mission blue butterfly, Callipe silverspot,

Places to get plants/seeds to keep genetics as local as possible – Haight Ashbury Native Plant Nursery, Larner Seeds, San Bruno Mountain Nursery, Bay Natives (though pricey plants are great). Can we purchase plants through the Presidio Native Plant Nursery?

This plant list has sample images from Starr King Openspace, our neighbor on Potrero Hill.

McKinley Square Community Meeting Sept 9,2011

2011-09-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

Scheduled Meeting #2 of #3 for McKinley Square Futures.

Unofficial notes for Sept 8th, 2011 meeting.

John Merten went over minutes of previous meeting.
Minutes of meeting #1 are posted here as PDF.
Other details are posted on SFPT web site here.

Video of this meeting is posted here.

Online discussion is encouraged in the Potrero Boosters online site here.

We are encouraging posting there as your email address remains private, and in general is easier than yahoo for posting discussions and pictures.
Please create an account and upload your picture for community discussion as you can discuss with your neighbors online "face to face". Blank accounts are not encouraged as they are suspect to be fake accounts.

Items were listed, but there was not a specific polled priority process.
John Merten displayed some designs for McKinley Square which included:

Moving the Cal-Trans fence toward the freeway, providing more trail area.
Adding a flat area, lower grass park to the off leash dog area.
Adding benches & lighting to the middle trails.
Splitting the children's play area and creating a slope on the upper park, and having a sweeping trail from the south end of McKinley Square to 20th & San Bruno Ave.

Discussion ensued.

Attendees were asked about if design were to be modern or rustic, attendees responded with rustic.
Concerns were raised about the removal / transfer of serpentine rock for asbestos release.
Concerns were raised about the determining the priorities without costs associated with items.
There was a request for more information to be shared more with the community electronically or otherwise in advance and outside meetings.
The Potrero View editor offered to post plans in the newspaper and online.
Next meeting, Saturday October 1st, Downtown High School will aim at polling priorities.

Video of complete meeting will be uploaded in next few days.

Pictures with link to high resolution photo (click text description) are below:

McKinley Square Map

McKinley Square Site Analysis

McKinley Square Issues And Opportunity

McKinley Square Potential Furnishings

McKinley Square Potential Playground Equipment

McKinley Square Surrounding Neighborhood Parks Map

McKinley Square Design Proposal C

Three upcoming meetings for McKinley Square

2011-09-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

1 . McKinley Square Park Futures Meeting

Sept 8th 6:30pm-8:30pm

Downtown High School, 793 Vermont.

Meeting #2 of #3 regarding.

If you missed the first meeting, pictures & video from the first meeting are available here:

http://mckinleysquareblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/mckinley-square-community-meeting.html

And meeting details flyer is here:

http://sfrecpark.org/calendar.aspx?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D96058530

Updated (9/7/11 5:37pm)
Meeting minutes for meeting #1 are posted here.

2. Sustainable gardening meeting up. Every 2nd Sunday of the month.

Sept 11th, 10am, on McKinley Square Hillside

Removing invasive weeds and tending to trails & native/sustainable plants planted last January.

3. McKinley Square Community Association board meeting

Sept 14th, 6:30pm

Downtown High School, 793 Vermont.

Meeting to talk about upcoming fall planting, and elections for volunteer board for the McKinley Square Community Association.

Board is made up of volunteers, working on improving the McKinley Square Community through improved safety, traffic calming, grants, native / sustainable planting, improved trails, public art. If this sounds like something you are interested in, or if you have alternative ideas of improvements, all are encouraged to join our volunteer board.

Although the board is all volunteers, elections, and a democratic open process are important and ensures the volunteer board is accountable, representing the community.

2011-09-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Mayoral Debate on Potrero Hill

Click Here for Complete Video

The Potrero Hill Mayoral Debate

Tuesday, August 30, 6:30 - 9 pm

At International Studies Academy

Sponsored by the Potrero Boosters and Potrero Hill Democratic Club

McKinley Square Community Meeting August 23, 2011

2011-08-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

Hello,

McKinley Square Futures
Meeting #1 of 3. August 23rd, 6:30-8pm Downtown High School.
Meeting #2 of #3 Sept 8, 6:30-10:30pm Downtown High School.

We had a very productive meeting with a lot of community input on August 23, 2011.

The official minutes of the meeting will be posted soon, but if you wish, you can watch the video of the meeting here:

Video of August 23, 2011 McKinley Square Meeting

If you have input you would like to provide, you can still do so,
either by phone or email to:
Linda Roberson 415-575-5603
linda.roberson AT sfgov DOT org

If you did not make the 1st meeting, meeting 2 of 3rd meeting will be coming up soon, Sept 8, 6:30-8:30pm.

John Merten of Studio Green explaining the process.

Community members in various points of listening and discussion.

Upcoming meeting for future of McKinley Square

2011-08-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

An upcoming meeting discussing the future of McKinley Square will be August 23rd.
Please come and join the meeting, bring your wish lists for the future of McKinley Square.

Full meeting flyer is posted here.

Thanks!

2011-07-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Another fine Second Sunday workday today!

Members of the community meet every Second Sunday 10-12pm

to tend the native/sustainable plantings,

work on the paths,

and do general hillside cleanup.

A huge amount of foxtails have been removed the hillside, and we are replacing them with native/sustainable plants.

Stay tuned for the announcements on major planting day coming up in fall, just before the rainy season!

Community Opportunity Fund

2011-06-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

Today we applied for the Community Opportunity Fund Grant for McKinley Square.
The community opportunity fund is a result of the 2008 Bond for Park & Recreation.
MSCA applied for $48,567 grant which would include:

This grant applied for funding for:
   Native/Sustainable Plantings              (community stewardship, plants supplied by grant)
   New & Enhanced Trails                      (community constructed, materials supplied by grant)
   Public Art (platforms)                         (community constructed, materials supplied by grant)
   Drinking Fountain for middle trail   (professional install, materials supplied by grant)
   Solar lighting for middle trail             (professional install, materials supplied by grant)

Not on this grant, but on our planning list is
   Stairs - west side of Vermont

If anyone has questions, or would like to help out, or be part of this process in anyway please feel free to email.

For details on the grant, here is a link:
http://www.mckinleysquare.com/Documents/McKinleySquareHillsideRenewal2011.pdf
An overview picture is here:

Sustainable Gardening Days

2011-04-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

In January 2011 over 300 native plants and grasses were planted in the southern hillside of McKinley Square.

Thanks to the strong rains, and the diligent work by some members of the community, the plants are doing well. But to overcome years of entrenched invasive weeds, the new plants will need some help competing.

A sustainable garden group will be working every 2nd Sunday at 10am at the south hillside native planting area. Come join us, and have an enjoyable Sunday morning.

Bring gloves, and tools if you have them. Closed toed shoes a must, work boots encouraged.

If you can't make this event but would like to help out with the native planting effort please feel free to send us an email.

Thanks

Here are some pictures from our April 10, 2011 sustainable gardening day.