Historic American Playground Reopens
with San Francisco Theme
Catalyst
From the CEO
The business of philanthropy is, in essence, the investment business, but with a slightly different return. Instead of a dollars-and-cents bottom line, Koret’s best investments grow into community resources that flourish for generations.
Many generations ago, the pioneers who designed and built Golden Gate Park shared this commitment to the future. Devoting decades to negotiating, planning, and constructing the Park, these visionaries successfully converted 1,000 acres of sand dunes into the thriving urban oasis we know today.
Since then, some 15 million annual visitors — Bay Area residents, American travelers, and international tourists alike — have delighted in the Park’s rich tapestry of historic sites, natural scenery, and world-class museums. But over time, its assets have naturally aged and deteriorated.
In this issue of the Catalyst, you will learn how Koret has contributed to the revitalization of San Francisco’s famed Golden Gate Park, investing more than $10 million in projects and programs that contribute to its vibrancy, accessibility, and community outreach. The new Koret Children’s Quarter, the future California Academy of Sciences, the redesigned de Young Museum, and the restored Music Concourse with a new underground parking garage each offer enriching resources for park visitors.
We are pleased to reflect on our investment in the renovation and restoration of Golden Gate Park, one of San Francisco’s most precious community assets and one we anticipate will flourish for generations to come.
Jeffrey A. Farber, CEO
Koret Foundation
Koret Fund
by Lauren Statman, JVS Kohn Intern
Some 120 years after its debut, America’s first public playground reopened to a crowd of eager children and families this summer. Named the Koret Children’s Quarter in recognition of the foundation’s funding partnership with the city, the new, eco-friendly playground, the Sharon Art Studio, and a vintage Herschell-Spillman carousel occupy the southeast quadrant of Golden Gate Park.
Inspired by the varied natural landscape of San Francisco, the new playground features a tree house village, a sandy streambed, and climbing wave walls — all designed to reflect how the City by the Bay extends from green hills to coastline to sea.
In addition to offering fun climbing surfaces, many of the playground structures are interactive, engaging children in playful exploration. When children step on a button, for example, water spouts in the streambed in response, wetting sand to mold into imaginative creations. On opening day, one busy toddler offered free “ice cream” made of delicious wet sand (which most bystanders understandably declined)! Young explorers may also try their hands at archaeology as they dig sand away from a tiled wall, excavating hidden artifacts and the skeleton of a California bear.
The melding of exploration and recreation was a guiding principle in the design of the playground, according to project manager Rick Thall.
“The goal of the design of
Koret Children’s Quarter is to bring
adventure and discovery back into
play by creating a framework for
children to use their imaginations
and alter their own environment,”
Thall said.
Solidifying the community
imprint, local art students and
professionals crafted the tiling
and climbable sea sculptures that
populate this San Francisco safari.
Mayor Gavin Newsom, on hand to
cut the ribbon, expressed his joy
with the integration of the art” and
play. With its ecological inspiration, interactive structures, and facilities
that comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act, the Koret
Children’s Quarter has breathed
new life into the country’s first public
playground.
The old playground “was designed in 1887 for the 19th century,” Mayor Newsom proclaimed. “This (new playground) is designed for the 21st century.”