A new dog run, along with playgrounds designed to separately accommodate toddlers and older children, will open at Crane Cove Park this fall. The Port of San Francisco is spending $2.5 million to construct the amenities.
“There are other investments the Port is making, but they generally fall under routine repair and maintenance. There may be future upgrades needed, which we will address through our usual capital program strategies. Tariffs are not expected to impact construction costs,” said Eric Young, Port of San Francisco communications director.
The dog run is being installed on the park’s east side. It’ll consist of a paved path to a fenced-in area, with railing along the shipyard, and lighting. The “Tot Lot,” located in a triangular area north of Building 49, will contain a variety of play structures, including a slide, net climbing tower, multi-person swing, and musical play equipment.
Rigger’s Yard will be sited on what’s now landscaped portions at the park’s north end, and feature climbing equipment for older children.
The Port originally contemplated including the dog run and playgrounds when Crane Cove first opened, in 2020. According to Young, delays were caused by design changes requested by the now defunct and disgraced San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA), which helped with fundraising for the additional elements. Work was also postponed due to community unhappiness with plan elements – including a lack of shade – as well as the need for additional time to award a construction contract due to Port staffing constraints.
The Port retained $975,000 raised through SFPA for the three components, with another $1.54 million missing as a result of financial malfeasance (see Parks Alliance article, this issue). According to Young, filling the one and a half million dollar gap is a significant financial hardship, especially given the unexpected nature of the expense.
“We plan to close the Crane Cove Park funding gap by redirecting funds from Southern Waterfront Beautification Fund to cover these costs,” said Young. “This risks slowing down other enhancements that money could have gone toward…include significant enhancements and activation along the Blue Greenway, including installation of new plantings, furnishings, and signage, particularly at Warm Water Cove Park, Tulare Park, Islais Creek, and Heron’s Head Park, stabilization of a building at Pier 68, Pier 96 crane removal and investment in a dedicated maintenance labor team, a vehicle, and paving at Gilman Street.”
The Southern Waterfront Beautification Fund receives money from rent the Port collects on its properties. No funds have been allocated to restore Crane Cove’s two crane tops.
“They were removed in 2017 and are stored in the adjacent Port property, the Pier 68 Shipyard,” said Young. “The area now occupied by Crane Cove Park was part of the shipbuilding maritime industrial area that also included Pier 70.”
Crane Cove Park is located within the Union Iron Works National Register Historic District, an area east of Illinois Street between 18th and 22nd streets. Ships were repaired in this zone between the late 1800s and mid-1900s.
“The timeframe has exceeded everything we were told,” said Katherine Doumani, Dogpatch Neighborhood Association member. “They’ve missed every deadline.”
Danny Pham 
Chaitanya Tondepu