It seems as if San Francisco’s financial woes are trickling down to impact community projects, such as the failing rubber surfaces at West Sunset Playground. A recent report by The Standard unearthed a daunting fix-it bill: nearly $600,000 to address the playground’s crumbled rubber ground that kids are, alarmingly, ingesting. Parents, initially rallying to raise funds for restoration, were blindsided by the exorbitant cost, hope diminishing as the estimate escalated to $55 per square foot.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s fiscal situation grows increasingly perilous, with Mayor Daniel Lurie warning that the city’s budget deficit might swell up to double, potentially hitting $2 billion. According to ABC7, precipitating factors include possible federal funding cuts in vital sectors like healthcare and education, not to mention the city’s reliance on former temporary funds drying up. The playground repair appears to just be another casualty in the city’s grappling with its precarious finances.
As parks throughout the city vie for a slice of the increasingly thin municipal pie, Rose Khallouf, a frequent visitor of the playground with her daughter, told The Standard, “The city has the capability of doing better for our kids.” Meanwhile, Supervisor Joel Engardio noted his limitations in influencing budget allocations. He expressed his desire for accelerated repairs but reminded residents of the city-wide competition for funds, which constrains how fast the playground woes can be addressed…