From the 24th Street Mini Park to the Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco’s myriad parks and playgrounds offer unique pockets of community space within an urban landscape. Maybe you’ve been curious about the oasis of green tucked into your own neighborhood. Who maintains it? How can you get involved?

• If you would like more information or are interested in starting your own park advocacy group, visit the Web site for the Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC), a coalition of community-based park groups actively involved in improving neighborhood parks throughout San Francisco. Since 1996, NPC has grown to include 120+ park groups and 4,000 park volunteers, establishing itself as San Francisco’s premier park advocacy group.”
  
  
  • Check out the Neighborhood Park Group Contacts page to find the park nearest you and to obtain information on the group associated with it. 
    
    
  • Go to the NPC's ParkScan to view and contribute to surveys of neighborhood park conditions.  
    
    
  • Browse through the NPC’s fascinating Park Histories page to learn about your own park’s past.
    
    
  • If you are specifically concerned about the improvement of open spaces for children, join the Playground Campaign, a partnership between the NPC and San Francisco’s Recreation & Park Department. The organization’s Web site also offers a checklist for assessing playground safety.
    
    
• If you’re curious about what’s offered throughout the City's parks, go to the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department’s Web site. There, you’ll find a complete listing of facilities, hours of operation, programs and schedules.
  
  
• Formerly known as Friends of Recreation & Parks, San Francisco Parks Trust (SFPT) provides “leadership and support to San Francisco's parks, open spaces and recreation programs.” Visit  SFPT online to view the Events Calendar” and learn about their various programs and initiatives.