Located in the Mission at 26th and Harrison, Garfield Square Park has long been a recreation & gathering space for San Franciscans. Built in 1884, it was actually home to the first professional baseball park in California! Now, the park features a slew of amenities for a first class, culturally-enriching play experience, with Chicano art & murals adorning the clubhouse and top-of-the-line facilities.
h/t Squadz Team, Jan. 2021
For a number of years, Garfield Square Park was a nightmarish, unusable eyesore in the community. Then, in 2006, in a public-private partnership with the City Fields Foundation, SF Rec & Park was able to install a beautiful new soccer field. This signaled a new attitude & commitment to expanding access to recreation at Garfield Park, and would usher in the 2012 voter-approved Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond to set aside cash to invest in community parks.
Every year, Garfield Square park is the official spot for San Francisco’s Day of the Dead celebration complete with shrines and costumed community members. Make sure to research safety guidelines before attending this year’s celebration. h/t Day of the Dead SF
With an approved plan in 2015, the renovation project would set out to create a new clubhouse/community hub, improvements to a beloved swimming pool, new basketball court and even a splashpad for children to use during the May - October months! Construction went underway for the $19.7 million renovations in 2018 and aimed for a launch date in 2020.
Despite setbacks due to the pandemic, the new and improved Garfield Center and Pool opened to the public in March 2021! Check out the restored murals, state-of-the-art pool (via online reservation), nice half-court basketball hoop and historic field!
