24th Street Mini Park

I call this the «Vagina Ruiner Park» due to the razor sharp sculptures in the corner.
I want to know how this conversation with the artist went down.
«So, we want you to design something for the 24^th street mini park. Think fun. Think kids. Think San Francisco» — Park Planner
«I feel your vision. I’m thinking a rendition of the knife/​dildo combo from the movie Seven. It’s my take on tolerance» — Artist
«We love tolerance in San Francisco!» — Park Planner
Seriously, SF? That shit is scary. Stick with swings and slides.

I love this neighborhood park. It combines a great play area for the kiddies with beautiful art that compliments the neighborhood. It also has a great water play area for warm days. Fair warning: bring a towel.

This park is a great place to rest in between mural sight seeing. I was pretty tired when I reached this park from visiting all the murals on 24^th street. Thankfully this park had benches to rest on. The park is primarily more of a big kid play ground. The floor itself was cushiony so we had a bounce in our step as we walked inside the park. There is a huge cool looking snake that looks like its weaving in and out of the floor. It is beautifully made. The park also includes murals that make this park so much more colorful.

Showed up to the park a little too early with my daughter and started wondering why there weren’t any children in this park. But after awhile, other kids showed up, this place came alive, and it was an awesome place to spend the morning.
Of course, you got to love the giant mosaic snake curling around a water fountain. Get yur Quetzalcoatl on, fools! Only in the Mission. Honestly, this is one of the coolest parks of all time. With the snake and mural, it is just perfect.
And it doesn’t hurt that Dynamo Donuts is right down the road. Donuts, coffee, your family, and an awesome park, does it get better than this?

Not a bad little urban park for little tikes. People there seemed cool and there was some kind of mural tour.

Nobody mentioned the cool water feature — My 11 month old was splashing about in her bathing suit at 5pm the other night — loving the last slice of sun the park gets.
The only problem is not many people know the nack of operating the jets of water that squirt up from a few holes in the ground — It’s tricky — but give it ago — press the green button on the post near the bushes and you’ll have a ball — the kids will love it too!

This park is amazing! It has the funnest playground equipment: a spin till you puke seat, a giant flying saucer swing, a mosaic anaconda for climbing, and several more! The highlight is definitely the water feature which shoots enough to cool you off and get you soaked on a hot day.

The planners of this area are smart. They are detail oriented. They were delicate enough to call this a «mini-​park», knowing they needn’t match up to the other giant ones in the city. They took a spot of land, stayed true to the indigenous art styles of the ‘hood to create a colorful surrounding, used unique play structures, and made great use of minimal space. Sometimes less is all one needs. Its good to teach the kids that!
This was a good find for us, as we had just finished an early Sunday brkfst across the street. Now what to do? Nothing is open in Mission this early besides bars, brkfst spots, and coffee shops. El Bingo! The kids (my 3 and their twin cousins = 5 loud people for the neighbors at 9am… you’re welcome) immediately ran in, screaming and climbing on everything. So much stimulation, and nothing was flashing or making noise! That is why we go to playgrounds– the kids don’t always need to use battery operated or electric things to enjoy their time.
Next time we are in this part of Mission D, we are going to bring our baseball bats and gloves just like the other Dad that showed up with his two kids and decided to play, right in the middle of everyone else. Watch out for that ball! Watch out for the kid running full speed toward you, cuz he’s only looking up at the ball that he lost in the sun! Ooops! My fault my baby ran into your nuts, guy. I guess you should go find an open field to play team sports in, this is just a «Mini-​Park», just as the sign on the front door has clearly stated. I had fun.
Note: If the gate is closed to the park, just open it like you would a normal house door. It won’t look like a park from across the street if the gate is closed. Don’t be afraid. Be curious. Give in to your curiousness and open the latch. Then, have so much fun you’ll be whistling dixie all morning long!

This little park is awesome. It’s nice to go get a coffee, maybe some donuts and let the munchkin run around like the little spaz he is. Plus hey, art.
Also, this place has the lowest density of creepy single dudes just hanging out of any park in the Mission.

What an amazing… err…
park? (but not much greenery)
playground? (but not much play equipment)
space? (yes, but not a whole lot of that either)
This little nook on 24^th St. shows how thoughtful design and creative use of public art can transform a narrow lot into a vibrant respite. Vibrant in color, with tiled serpent-​benches and colorful murals. Alive with the sound of children laughing, yet tucked away from the busy commercial corridor enough that you can enjoy a good read or lose a game of Scrabble.
The designers spared no expense, with bouncy rubber mats for the lil’ ones, a meticulously finished mosaic, and a seamless universal design that thoughtfully masks the grade change onto the all-​weather trex-​deck patio.
Probably best for toddlers to explore this mostly passive space, but I highly recommend it for adults who seek a sunny spot to chill and have your spirits lifted.

Hidden Gem!
This park is totally… WOW! The impressive murals, large mosaic snake, and ample seating areas make this «mini-​park» so special, and such a standout amongst the restaurants, produce stores, and beauty salons on 24^th street.
Probably more suitable for adults vs. the kiddoes.

I would come back here just for the the swing. It’s the only swing that I can probably fall asleep on.
JONASAPPROVED!

Back in the day, kids were tougher. We had tanbark! None of that wussy new rubber crap! We came home with splinters up the ying yang and blistered palms…
Holy crap, is that a giant snake. *screams like a little girl* -
There’s a swinging disk, a mosaic glass tiled snake «Quetzolcoatl», a cup, and a teeter totter. In the back of the park are picnic tables. Clean. awesome.
and I do like the rubber floors. so bouncy and soft to walk on! :D — not too great to touch when it’s a super hot day. ouch! *screams like a little girl* again…

This aptly named «mini» park on 24^th Street won a ‘Beautification Award’ in 2007, and it deserves it. Its former incarnation was run down and attracted anyone and everyone but kids coming to play there. Now it’s always filled with kids, families and neighborhood residents who come to admire the murals and vibrant atmosphere. The Quetzalcoatl sculpture fountain is extra great — its plumes of water rise up only when someone presses the buttons — thus conserving water and encouraging interaction with the design elements of the park. I like to stop here with whatever 24^th Street cheap eats attracted my eye that day, and I always enjoy my picnic.

The City’s Mission District will received an early Christmas present when Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Tom Ammiano, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, the Lower 24^th Street Neighborhood Association and the Neighborhood Parks Council celebrated the grand reopening of 24^th and York Mini Park on Sunday, November 19, 2006.
The event marked the completion of a $ 1,050,000 renovation project at the .12-​acre park that transformed the once-​dilapidated site into an urban park oasis for children. The Mission District is a densely populated neighborhood with limited open space, making the reopening of the park a significant milestone for the community and those who helped usher the project through.
To describe the mini park as colorful would be an understatement. The park’s new design features play off the site’s existing colorful murals by transforming painted images into a kaleidoscope of hues and three-​dimensional forms. Gradations of blue paving bands draw visitors into the park. Situated to the left, abstract plant forms are designed to be interactive light elements. Further into the park, a large mosaic serpent interrupts the pathway, while the entrance into a play area appears to the right. The play area contains conventional play equipment, including a teeter-​totter and swing. A curving seat wall separates the play area from the sidewalk. The colorful pathway continues to a sculptural, mosaic snake that weaves in and out of the ground plane with children’s slides at its head. The tail of the snake wraps around a playful water-​spray feature.
The mosaic snake sculpture, entitled «Quetzalcoatl,» by local artists Mark Roller, Colette Crutcher and Aileen Barr, was created under the auspices of Susan Cervantes, founder of Precita Eyes Muralists. The serpent represents Quetzalcoatl, the Mesoamerican feathered serpent god, who is both life-​giver and culture hero, bestowing various gifts on humankind such as agriculture, writing and architecture. These gifts are represented by five cast concrete medallions along the snake’s body. The body and head of the snake are formed out of concrete and covered with mosaic consisting of broken commercial tiles and several hundred handmade tiles, representing Quetzalcoatl’s feathers.
The event on Sunday included a ceremonial ribbon cutting and appearances by civic and community leaders. Food and refreshments were provided by local business: Tio Chilo’s, Roosevelt Tamale Parlor, Punjab’s, Casa Sanchez, L’s Caffe, and El Metate. Family activities and entertainment followed, such as the Sf Mounted Police, The Talking Police Car and kids playing tin the new water feature.
Twenty-​fourth and York Mini Park is located on 24^th Street and York and is accessible by MUNI via the 27 Bryant and 48 Quintara lines.