By Thomas K. Pendergast

The conceptual design of a new outdoor recreation area for senior citizens, to be installed behind the Senior Center in Golden Gate Park at 37th Avenue and Fulton Street, was unanimously approved by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission.

According to the Recreation and Park Department, the project’s goal is to create a 5,000 square-foot, senior-focused outdoor fitness and recreation space adjacent to the Golden Gate Park Senior Center, to complement the center’s existing facilities and programs.

The new recreation area will be near the southeast corner of the Senior Center and designed with fitness activities for seniors in mind.

Among the new gear going in will be: five pieces of stationary exercise equipment, designed to accommodate up to 20 users simultaneously; four benches, four chairs and one picnic table.

The benches, picnic tables and chairs will be partially shaded by a trellis.

All of this will be on playground surfacing that can support various activities like dance, Tai Chi, yoga and Zumba, plus more passive activities like crafts and workshops.

The exercise stations will likely be on a Corkeen surface, which should also have room for individual exercise and group workout activities. Edging the western and southern sides of the exercise surface will be strips of “low maintenance” grass and mulch, while the natural grass now in place will line the north and eastern edges.

There will also be pathway improvements adjacent to the driveway from Fulton Street that leads down to the fitness area, which will make them ADA compliant.

During the Commission’s meeting on Feb. 19, an anonymous caller phoned in and expressed her support for the project.

“We’ve been waiting a very long time, since (former District 1 supervisor) Sandra Fewer first suggested it and we’re very excited,” the caller told the Commission. “The Senior Center itself is decades old. There’s no real room for it to be expanded inwardly.

“So, this outside area is going to be so exciting for us to access. Additionally, with the project, the ADA improvements to the driveway – the downhill driveway, which right now is actually kind of dangerous – so there’ll be a walkway added along the driveway.

“We’re so excited to get this project going. It’s been in the works and we’re very happy to have you approve it today. We are thrilled to have outdoor seating, to have an area to talk, to have an area to join conversation while we exercise and compare notes and take classes. And this is going to be just a wonderful addition to the Senior Center and we are so excited for it.”

The planning for this project began in 2024. Since then, there have been a couple of community meetings and surveys through 2025.

Fewer initiated the funding with $50,000 she got from the City’s General Fund to plan and design the project.

More recently, District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan secured $1 million from the 2020 SF Health and Recovery Bond for it.

That bond measure, which was on the November 2020 ballot as Proposition A, was for a total of $487.5 million and passed with more than 70% of the vote.

Most of it was actually for transitional supportive housing facilities and shelters to serve people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges or substance use, however, $239 million of that was reserved for improvements to parks, open spaces and recreation facilities.

“This project will create a vibrant outdoor space at the Golden Gate Park Senior Center that will expand the programming area and make it even easier for neighborhood seniors to stay active, connected and mentally engaged,” said the department’s Communication Manager Daniel Montes in an email message. “Community members expressed wanting equipment that focuses on stretching, strengthening and stability. The project is currently in the design phase, so the goal is to ensure the equipment reflects those desires.”

According to Montes, construction is anticipated to begin in August 2026, with completion targeted for November 2026. The project’s budget of $1,075,000 includes that $1 million from the 2020 SF Health and Recovery Bond.