“Budget Cuts,” those dreaded words that are becoming all too familiar in everyone’s ears. When residents and families heard that the Playground and Recreation Center on Moultrie Street near Cortland Ave. was going to close due to “budget cuts,” they persisted and protested before the Board of Supervisors demanding that it remain open regardless as it is vital to the community.
 
Mauricio Vela, a community advocate and organizer was upset when he heard the news early in June. Since May 31 the playground and rec center which also has a gym has been limited to only three hours of use a day.
 
How can the entire community be able to utilize the facilities if it is only open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.? This made no sense to Vela as he noted that, neighbors fought long and hard to raise $500,000 to renovate the gym and last year new exercise equipment was purchased.
 
“Our school children and teenagers have been locked out of the gym with nothing left to do but hang out on Cortland Avenue,” said Vela as he talked to the Mission Dispatch.
 
The cutting back of hours worries Vela as he said, “In the past [with so many teens having little to do] this has resulted in the police harassing our youth of color.” The playground and rec center are set directly behind the Bernal Heights Branch of the SF Public Library.
 
Unfortunately for this summer the library is closed for renovations and that means one less safe place for children in the neighborhood to be at. Bernal Heights is a mixed-background neighborhood of working class families. To have a safe place for children to play and meet is very important with many parents working more than one job.
 
Vela knew he must do something because if he didn’t the playground and rec center would not be accessible as it should be. And so, he took action to alert neighbors, families and friends.
 
Vela also mentioned that Ray McCowan, a fellow resident and father told him about the sudden reduction of hours and that no official notice had been posted.
 
The Mission Dispatch contacted McCowan and McCowan said that he was told by one of the rec center facility coordinators, that SF Rec and Park Dept was reducing the hours because of a budget deficit.
 
“They tried to close it because they consider it ‘underused.’ That is not so,” said McCowan. “Lots of kids play here and the gym is used everyday,” he added.  “I have been here in Bernal Heights for over 40 years; all my family was raised here,” McCowan said.
 
“Kids need a place to go and the playground and rec center and gym should not be closed.”
 
McCowan also said that it seems Rec and Park officials wanted to consolidate the staff at Bernal Heights Playground as part of St. Mary’s Park urging people to utilize St. Mary’s Park instead of the playground and rec center on Moultrie.
 
St. Mary’s Park is featured on Yelp.com as a popular “dog walking park.” Located at 95 Justin Drive, it is next to the freeway.
 
“That’s too far for our kids to go,” said McCowan. He also noted that St. Mary’s Park is too close to the Alemany Housing projects. “Our kids are good kids in this neighborhood,” said McCowan, “and we don’t want to deal with all the problems of the Alemany projects.”
 
The edge of St. Mary’s faces the John Foran Freeway which runs parallel with Alemany Blvd. where the housing projects are situated. In 2004 the SF Chronicle reported that 26-year-old David Sampson who lived on Ellsworth Street (a street that intersects Alemany) was shot to death by an unknown assailant. According to investigators Sampson was standing outside near where he lived and was shot while trying to flea the gunman’s approach. SF Police had no leads and no description of the gunman.
 
McCowan as well as Vela think that to have their neighborhood children and teens go to St. Mary’s Park (which is a considerable distance from the Bernal Heights Playground) would become a serious safety issue.
 
Bernal Heights resident Pilar Reyes agreed as she said, “every neighborhood has the right to have services and facilities close to them.”
 
Reyes who works at law firm downtown has two sons who use the gym at the rec center at Bernal Heights Playground. “When my sons told me that the gym was closing for most of the day with shorter hours, I worried,” Reyes said.
 
Reyes told the Mission Dispatch that when Vela asked for help, she contacted all the supervisors and officials at Rec and Park. “I got worried, especially during the summer,” said Reyes, when children are out of school. A place to go and something to do is very important for children while parents/relatives can be nearby in the area where they live.
 
Reyes is happy that Vela and so many others worked to keep the facilities open, when Park and Rec was ready to shut it down. “Mauricio has really worked hard to help the community,” said Reyes.
 
“What bothers me, said McCowan, is that that the facility coordinator at Bernal Heights Playground did not bother to fight for our gym.”
 
The Mission Dispatch contacted officials at Rec and Park repeatedly but requests for comment were ignored.
 
Galvanizing their efforts the people of the Bernal Heights neighborhood petitioned the SF Board of Supervisors to keep the regularly scheduled hours of operation of Monday through Friday from 9 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
Sheila Chung Hagen, a legislative aide to Supervisor David Campos explained as she talked to Rec & Park on behalf of the Mission Dispatch. “Back in May, lay-offs were initiated as a way to deal with the budget deficit,” said Hagen.
 
“Bernal Heights Playground, Rec Center and Gym were among the list of considerations,” added Hagen. 32 positions at a cost of $1.8 million were going to be cut.
 
Hagen noted that SF Rec. and Park had difficult decisions to make as the Mayor’s Office urged all departments throughout the City to find ways to save money and fill the budget gaps.
 
For over two years Campos has been the supervisor representing the Mission District and Bernal Heights areas. When Vela, McCowan, Reyes and the other neighborhood groups showed up at the budget committee meeting on July 21, Campos and the others on the SF Board of Supervisors listened.
 
“Thanks to Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Campos’ leadership as well as all the supervisors,” said Vela, voices were heard. Mirkarimi motioned that the community be heard and the Board of Supervisors all agreed.
 
Praising Vela and the community’s efforts Public Defender Jeff Adachi said, “I am very pleased that the Bernal Heights Gym was saved from closure.” “It is critical to provide young people with the resources they need to stay fit, active and healthy, especially in these difficult economic times,” said Adachi.
 
Like so many departments throughout the city Adachi’s office has been hit with budget set backs. He has been pleading with City officials to make sure crucial services are maintained, especially to those in need and working families.
 
Hagen told the Mission Dispatch that since the budget committee hearing Campos and the rest of the Board of Supervisors will look for ways to maintain and implement funding to keep Bernal Heights Playground and Rec Center open.
 
“The Mayor’s Office might direct City departments to make budget cuts but the Board of Supervisors must review proposed cuts and agree,” said Hagen.
 
“It’s a shame that the kids have to suffer because of the City’s budget issues,” said McCowan. He insists that funding can be found. “I help out when I can, not getting paid and I am not asking for a dime,” said McCowan.
 
“This is about the kids future,” he said. “If I can do this, then the City can do it.” “There are some rainy day funds around,” said McCowan.
 
Located at 500 Moultrie Street the use of the gym is free. For more information about Bernal Heights Playground and Recreation Center call (415) 695-5007.