San Francisco, CA – Today, Mayor London N. Breed joined Supervisor Myrna Melgar, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg, and community members to unveil improvements to the Ninth and Lincoln Gateway at Golden Gate Park. The project, which features two new plazas with added landscaping, builds on a series of landmark activations, achievements, and improvements for San Francisco’s world-renowned park system.
The gateway, one of the City’s most popular park entrances, links Golden Gate Park to the bustling commercial corridor of Ninth Avenue and Irving Street in the Inner Sunset. Its newly symmetrical design creates two open plazas on both sides of Ninth Avenue, each featuring central raised planters with trees. The design further incorporates new granite steps with brass rails, enhanced lighting, and updated signage, including a Golden Gate Park sign crafted from a boulder.
“The 9th and Lincoln improvement project is a great example of our work to deliver world-class parks and open spaces that are accessible by car, public transit, bike and foot, and I’m excited about what it will do for the Inner Sunset community,” said Mayor London Breed. “I am thrilled to see the product of our investments in open spaces and experiences for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.”
San Francisco’s parks, plazas and playgrounds have undergone remarkable transformations in the past two years, underscoring the City’s commitment to world-class public spaces.
The Ninth and Lincoln Gateway project, which was designed in 2020 and began construction in July 2023, includes new paving, striping, as well as electrical and utility upgrades. As a way to improve pedestrian safety and create a more accessible crossing, the westbound Muni bus shelter on Lincoln Avenue was relocated away from the crosswalk and ADA-compliant curb ramps were added at each corner.
The $3 million project also introduces approximately 5,500 square feet of fresh concrete paving and 6,000 square feet of native plantings, supported by a modernized irrigation system for sustainable growth. The project meets goals outlined in the Golden Gate Park Master Plan, a comprehensive guide published in 1998 that recommended park improvements.
“San Franciscans dreamed of making the best urban park in the country better and we have achieved success at a level I could not have imagined. Now, there is a warm welcome for park goers to enjoy as they take in the amazing Golden Gate Park,” said District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar. “These improvements will be much appreciated by residents, visitors, and merchants alike!”
“Golden Gate Park is one of San Francisco’s most prized possessions with some 24 million visits annually. It’s only fitting that one of the park’s most important access points is equally beautiful,” SF Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg said. “This renovation invites everyone to experience the wonderful blend of urban life and nature we enjoy in the Inner Sunset—grabbing a coffee or lunch from a local café or browsing a boutique on Irving Street, then heading over for a picnic near Big Rec or a peaceful walk through the Botanical Gardens.”
“The community desired a more open and inviting Gateway, one that would more effectively unite the park and the neighborhood,” said Inner Sunset Park Neighbors Former Co-Chair Andrea Jadwin. “This new design seamlessly blends the two and I’m excited to see how it will benefit everyone, from pedestrians to parkgoers to small businesses.”
San Francisco Public Works contributed the design work and construction management on the project. And the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency assisted with traffic management and the bus shelter’s relocation.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department administers more than 230 parks, playgrounds, and open spaces, including two outside the city limits-- Camp Mather in Yosemite Valley and Sharp Park in Pacifica. Key recent achievements for the Department, include the opening earlier this month of the southern half of India Basin Waterfront Park, the revitalization of UN Plaza which features a skateboarding area, and the restoration of Middle Lake in Golden Gate Park.
Additionally, car-free spaces like the JFK Promenade offer pedestrian-friendly experiences prioritizing safety, family fun, and accessibility. Shelley Drive in Mclaren Park and Twin Peaks Blvd which opened permanently to people in 2020.
The 2020 Health and Recovery Bond has created $239 million in additional funding for future park renovations now underway such as the Gene Friend Recreation Center in the South of Market, a new recreation center at Herz Playground and future renovations of Portsmouth Square in Chinatown and Jackson Playground in Potrero. Through philanthropy and public-private partnerships, over 30 neighborhood parks and playgrounds have been renovated and planning for a new baseball complex at Crocker Amazon and a dynamic Downtown renovation of Embarcadero Plaza is also underway.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, an impressive number of concerts, markets, and special events, have taken place around the City, including free music series in Golden Gate Park, McLaren Park, the Embarcadero, Civic Center, Union Square, India Basin and the Crossing among other locations.
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