Loved to death for many years, Crissy Field getting a makeover
On sunny spring days, dog walkers, windsurfers, parents with strollers and seniors fill the promenade at Crissy Field. But the 20- foot- wide path cannot hold all the foot traffic.
Park users have long complained about the walkway’s pits, puddles and packed crowds. This fall, the trail, which looks up at the Golden Gate Bridge, will be repaved and widened in spots. It will get improved drainage, and some parking lots will be redesigned. A $ 2.5 million National Park Service grant, in honor of the service’s centennial, and matching private donations will fund the face- lift.
“This area is so loved and well used,” said Kirsten Holder, a planner with the Park Service. “These areas have been worn down for a long time. It’s elbow- room- only in spots, and drainage issues cause huge puddles to form. The renovations will make it more enjoyable and easier to navigate.”
This is the first major restoration for Crissy Field since the Crissy Field Center opened at the former airstrip and Army facility in 2001. With more than
1.2 million visitors every year, the popular spot has accumulated a backlog of maintenance requests. Construction is expected to start in October, just after Fleet Week, and run until the end of the year.
Parts of the promenade will be shut down for the renovation, and the East Beach pathway will be widened to 30 feet. The hard gravel surfacing will be replaced with a shale composite, which is already used on the Presidio Coastal Trail and at Eagles Point. A portion of the East Beach parking lot facing the bay will be redesigned, but will still hold about 400 cars.
‘ It will just be nature’
“Turning that first row of parking into a lawn will eliminate the stress of ... having to fight your way to the beach,” said Alexandra Picavet, a Park Service spokeswoman. “Now you won’t be looking at the bay over a sea of cars. It will just be nature, all the while keeping the same amount of parking and being better organized.”
Park users have long bumped into each other on the path, and the promenade has struggled to accommodate all kinds of recreation, said Ron Maykel of Pacifica. The uneven surfacing and poor irrigation also make it difficult for older people to walk and get exercise, he said.
“This trail definitely needs to be resurfaced,” he said, pointing to the gravel. “It’s not draining now, either, and puddles always form. This spot is special because of its location — we have the outdoors, the views and nature all in one spot. For a city resident, it provides everything you need. But we need to maintain it.”
The renovations will also improve the overall visitor experience, added Brian Johnson, deputy superintendent for the National Marine Sanctuaries. Redesigning the parking lot so that spaces are farther back from the beach will make the transition from an urban to rural environment more seamless, he said.
“To have people sitting beside the bay in the lawn areas will give them a more natural experience,” he said. “Having a row of cars there? It just wastes valuable real estate. We are so fortunate to have this open space that is so accessible and free. It’s novel to put your eyes on the horizon and not stare at buildings and traffic. This will really only improve that.”
Worried about shade
But Lynn Gaines, another park user, said she worried that the parking lot redesign would make it more difficult for dog walkers and windsurfers. Moving the lot back will mean less available shade, she said, since there are more trees near the promenade.
“Right now, people can walk their dog and then put it in the car and go do something else recreational,” she said. “With no shade, they can’t really do that anymore. It is also going to be difficult for windsurfers because they will have to carry their gear and equipment farther from the parking lot. I’m not sure how this is going to pan out.”
The renovations are needed to keep the area functioning, Holder said. The grant must be used this year, she said, and the money will go to a good use.
“It’s going to make this park a really enjoyable place, even more so than what it was,” she said. “There will be less puddles, wider paths and fewer cars right by the bay. I think the renovation is going to make a big difference.”