Children's playground reopens in San Francisco's Tenderloin

SAN FRANCISCO - The children in one of San Francisco's most historically challenged neighborhoods now have a new playground to call their own. The park has undergone its first major overhaul since it was opened in 1995, and is now officially kid approved.

Revitalized family-friendly space 

What we know:

The children of San Francisco's Tenderloin welcomed visitors to the newly renovated Tenderloin Children's' Playground. Upgrades include a new basketball court, new mini-soccer field just in time for the World Cup, and a new climbing structure that will thrill a new generation of kids.

Azzam Alameri, the District 5 youth commissioner, grew up just blocks from Tenderloin Children's Playground and he remembers the outdated old park. 

"It's a drastic difference. Before, it was very desolate. It was very dark," said Alameri.

Now he said the kids would have a destination. "I can relate to these kid," Alamaeri said. "This place is like their safe spot. Their parents can drop them off and have not too many worries about the neighborhood and have them be kids, you know."

The park reopened earlier than anticipated following a $3.8 million public private partnership. Sarah Madland from San Francisco Recreation and Parks said: "For more than three decades, Tenderloin Rec has not received a full renovation. But, with the support of our park partners, today we are celebrating this completely reimagined space."

Upgrade 'long overdue'

Supervisor Bilal Mahmood said the upgrade was long overdue. "This is a neighborhood with 3,500 hundred kids and it deserves to see the same love as the rest of the city does as well."

The park drew fans big and small, including Mayor Daniel Lurie. "I want to be brief because I want to go up there," he said, pointing to the top of the slide. 

The new park brought out the kid in Mayor Lurie who couldn't resist a quick climb into the structure, and a slide to the bottom. The mayor says this park is only the beginning. "This community deserves all of this and so much more and so, this is just a start."

What's next:

  Until now, the park was only available Monday through Friday, but now it will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to welcome as many kids as the park can hold.