Getting Dirty

Šárka Volejníková is helping to turn run-down Hilltop Park in San Francisco's Bayview District into a vibrant center for the neighborhood and nature. This UC Berkeley Extension instructor works at Miller Company Landscape Architects, and is pleased to be doing environmentally sensitive work that is influenced by the surrounding community.

Local community group Parks 94214 has been a vocal and enthusiastic proponent in refurbishing this park and others in the Bayview. Šárka let us tag along on a workday to see how construction is progressing. We'll revisit the park later in the year when it has more plants and play structures, but here's an inside look at her work-in-progress.

"There used to be a lawn here. We're going to restore it. We wanted people to be able to lounge here, maybe do yoga—that sort of thing. There's going to be an ADA-compliant walkway all around the park, as well."

"We're following trails that people had already used, but we're making them more comfortable with steps and some leveling. We wanted to keep the familiar shape of the park."

"The 70-foot-tall sundial is an important existing part of the park. The sundial works. Triangles incised into the surrounding concrete indicate the time."

"The designs in the concrete are direct from the community, like storyboards from local life."

"We cleared this area of invasive plants and leveled this portion out, and plan to put telescopes and seating here because the views are fantastic!"

"Here are the spaces for the two playgrounds: one for younger kids and one for older kids. We are keeping the celestial theme in the park, beginning with the sundial. One of the play areas is a sun playground and the other the moon."

"We're going to keep these existing slides. You need a piece of cardboard to go down. I haven't had the nerve to try it yet!"