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History
Founded in 1971, San Francisco Parks Trust, formerly known as Friends of
Recreation & Parks, the nonprofit organization committed to
protecting and enhancing San Francisco's parks. From Golden Gate Park
to more than 200 neighborhood parks, open spaces, and recreation
programs, SFPT has raised millions of dollars to ensure a bright
future for more than 4,000 acres of parkland throughout the
City. Funds generated by our membership, community and corporate
foundations, and individual contributions directly benefit our City's
205 parks and squares, 200 playgrounds, 81 recreation centers, four
stadiums, six golf courses, and a camp in the Sierras.
Over the last decade, we have pioneered the renaissance of Golden
Gate Park. We led the $8 million restoration of the West End and
opened the Park's first Visitor Center in the historic Beach
Chalet. We provided $100,000 to restore the historic Carrousel in
Golden Gate Park and install a new sound system. We led the $25
million Campaign to restore the Conservatory of Flowers. Since its
grand reopening in September of 2003, the Conservatory has
accommodated more than 380,000 visitors.
In 2004, Friends of Recreation & Parks changed its name to San
Francisco Parks Trust, and revitalized its commitment to San
Francisco's Parks with the implementation of the Healthy Parks
Initiative.
SAN FRANCISCO & PARKS TIMELINE :: 1971 - 2004
1970s
Friends of Recreation & Parks (FRP) is founded in a response to the need for private contributions and revenue to supplement budgetary allocations for parks. Completely led by volunteers, Friends' primary function is to serve as a fiscal agent for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.
During the 70s, the Golden Gate Park Guides institute their historic walking tours program and become Friends' core group of volunteers. $50,000 is raised to rehabilitate the Children's Playground, $3,000 for a memorial bench program, and park pedestal maps are installed within Golden Gate Park.
1971
Friends of Recreation & Parks is founded with a $50,000 grant from developer and philanthropist, Walter Shorenstein.
1972
First membership drive yields 350 members.
Annual Labor Day festival Opera in the Park is founded, co-hosted by the Recreation and Park Department, The Examiner and Friends of Recreation & Parks.
1974
The Open Space Tax is established, enabling the Recreation and Park Department to purchase acres of open space and spend money on park improvements throughout the city.
1979
Money is raised for the replacement and repair of benches, the Union Square Rhododendron display, athletic supplies, and to repair the Rossi Playground.
Friends' support enables band concerts in Golden Gate Park to continue another year.
1980s
The first paid staff member and a creative board of directors gives the organization staying power with community and fundraising events. With proceeds from the Landscape Garden Show, Friends begins to move into its role as a leader for community change through parks and recreation. Friends purchases equipment and funds improvements for a range of innovative programs and projects led by neighborhood groups. Other Friends projects include raising money for band concerts, the Shakespeare Garden, and the 6th Avenue Skate Area.
1984
The carousel reopens after extensive renovation.
Friends initiates a hospitality desk and guide program at Coit Tower.
Friends helps administer the Tea Garden Gate Reconstruction.
1986
The first San Francisco Landscape Garden Show, Friends' largest fundraiser and social event, takes place at Fort Mason.
1987
$50,000 is raised to restore the 6th Avenue entrance to Golden Gate Park.
1988
Friends purchases play mobile teen center at Hamilton Recreation Center.
1990s
Increasing its budget and membership in striking proportions since its inception, Friends demonstrates its capacity as a catalyst for change in urban parks. The Lila Wallace Grant is the catalyst for tremendous growth and a remarkable partnership with the Recreation & Park Department and the citizens of San Francisco. Friends takes on a variety of programs and projects, as well as its largest undertaking to date, the Campaign to Restore the Conservatory of Flowers. Friends emphasizes collaborations with other park groups, political involvement, and expands and redefines its programs.
1990
Friends helps renovate the Shakespeare Garden.
1992
Teen Newspapers for and by teenagers are created.
Golden Gate Park Bond: overwhelming approval of voters for a $76,300,000 park bond. The bond provides funds for improvements throughout the park, such as creating and maintaining water supply and irrigation, cleaning and restoring lakes and water areas, and fixing and adding utilities.
Midnight basketball program launched.
1994
Centennial Celebration - first collaboration among all the park institutions.
The Fine Arts Lagoon is repaired.
1995
As a result of a brutal storm, the Recreation and Park Department suffers $3.5 million in tree-related damage and clean-up costs and the Conservatory of Flowers is closed to the public.
1996
The multi-year restoration of the West End of Golden Gate Park commences thanks to a $1,603,353 grant from the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. The grant represents the first private national funding received for parks in San Francisco.
1997
The Neighborhood Park Grants Program is established.
Growing rapidly, the Landscape Garden Show is renamed the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show and relocates from Fort Mason to the expansive Cow Palace.
The Beach Chalet restaurant and brew pub and Golden Gate Park's first ever Visitor Center open in the restored WPA building.
1998
First Lady Hillary Clinton visits Golden Gate Park during her Save America's Treasures Tour. The Campaign to Restore the Conservatory of Flowers is launched with the announcement of the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund's extraordinary $5 million gift.
Vocal Minority presents a farcical play about politics surrounding Golden Gate Park, based on the Farley comic strip entitled "Floral Fauna Follies: A Tale of 'Old 'n Great' Park" to benefit the Conservatory of Flowers.
New dog drinking fountains are placed throughout city parks.
2000
Public support for parks and their vital role in maintaining healthy communities is clearly endorsed across the country with legislation for bonds and taxes as a necessary accompaniment to limited city budgets. Friends collaborates with groups on a local and national level to get the message out and keep attentions focused on the importance of urban parks.
2000
Friends is awarded a second Wallace-Reader's Digest multi-year grant for $600,000 to institutionalize its successful programs in education and neighborhood park grants, as well as to launch new mentorship and advocacy programs.
Restoration of the Conservatory of Flowers begins.
2001
Friends' Neighborhood Park Grant program has provided approximately $400,000 to more than 75 groups of community-minded citizens working to improve neighborhood parks and parks facilities.
2002
San Franciscans rally behind the Campaign to Restore the Conservatory of Flowers. More than 5,000 people contribute to the icon's restoration as a cultural institution, education center, and conservation program for rare tropical plants. At the end of 2002, the campaign has only $1 million left to go to reach its $24 million goal to completely upgrade the building and its extraordinary collections.
2003
Friends of Recreation & Parks begins a new program, Project ReCreation, which identifies and renovates high-use recreation centers. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, and in collaboration with the Recreation & Park Department, Friends successfully renovates Jackson Playground, Margaret Hayward Playground, Mission Playground, West Sunset Playground, and Boeddeker Park.
Friends celebrates the completion of the Conservatory renovation with a gala event weekend and raises another than $100,000 toward the Campaign. The Conservatory reopens to the public on September 20th.
2004
In the wake of the Conservatory Campaign's great success, Friends makes the decision to change its name and revitalize its commitment to parks with the implementation of the Healthy Parks Initiative. "San Francisco Parks Trust" is approved by the membership in a vote at the annual meeting on June 17th.
2005
The Playfields Initiative and Project JumpStart to launch in February.
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