As Turkey Day approaches, the MBP project continues to gather momentum! Phase 1 has almost $1 million behind it, is in the Mayor’s budget for 2016, and is currently in Design Development!
In Design Development (DD) our concept drawings go through a process of vetting and refinement toward final construction documents which will ultimately go out to bid. It’s a long process of perfecting designs, working with engineers, collaborating with city departments and agencies, and our partners at SF Rec and Park. There are multiple stages of DD, and additional detail is added as we move toward 100% final documents.
At the current stage, the plans are at 50%, so will have much more detail added before we go to bid, and ultimately before we break ground. But, the basic layout and features are beginning to be solidified.
The biggest hurdle over the course of the last few years has been fundraising. There have been two main parts to our fundraising efforts:
1. CONSTRUCTION FUNDING
In 2008, we began building awareness, rallying the community, showing the need for a bike park, and gaining the support of SF Rec and Park. In 2012, we secured our location and won two grants totaling $500,000: The Community Opportunity Fund Grant for $250,000 and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant for another $250,000.
While pushing Phase 1 through approvals and getting official estimates, we came to a construction estimate of $934,000. Consequently, we went through a process of “Value Engineering” to bring our design and our funds in line. We removed a few features, cut some fat, narrowed our construction time and ultimately landed on a budget of just under $885,000.
Along the same timeline, we worked to raise funds to bridge a $385,000 gap between the construction estimate and our funding. To bring our funds and our budget together, the MBP Founders team worked with SFRPD to secure $300,000 in McLaren Park Quick Strike funding through the 2012 Parks Bond. SFRPD secured a Jumping Fences grant for $25,000. Supervisor John Avalos’s office also came through in a big way with a contribution of $30,000 in 2015, and another $50,000 allocated in the 2016 City Budget. Boom! Construction funding complete!
2. DESIGN FUNDING
To keep the design in the hands of the people and professional bike park builders, we looked to the community for support and created the MBP Founders. Donors of $100 or more secured a place for their names on the website, and on the plaque that will be displayed at MBP in Phase 1. Supporters and Founders of MBP have really stepped up and helped the project continue to move forward!
Designing for phase 1 has been a learning process for all involved. We have experienced, dedicated people on the MBP Founders team, but the inner workings of San Francisco are complex. We’re about to build the first official bike park within the city, so we’ve been pioneering this process, which takes time and a lot of patience.
As we work through the city’s processes, our total design costs will be just over $160,000. This not only includes bike park design from Alpine Bike Parks, but landscape architecture, engineering, storm water management, permits, grading plans, and lots of other necessary details.
The GREAT news is that we’ve raised over $135,000 for design to date!
$25,000 from the Hellman Foundation
$25,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Greg and Caroline Gretsch
$25,000 from the Mary A. Crocker Trust
$30,000 from the MBP DIG Fundraiser last Spring
$30,000 and counting, in MBP Founders donations
With this taken into account, we’re just $25,000 short of our design funding goal. These additional funds need to be raised by January 2016 to keep the design process moving and ultimately break ground in Fall of 2016.
To raise this money, we’re launching our last fundraising campaign for Phase 1, where organizations, brands and/or individuals can “sponsor” a picnic table or bench within MBP. Donors will receive a bronze plaque to be embedded in their park feature. If you’re interested in putting your name on a piece of history, San Francisco’s first bike park, email us here or send us a PM through Facebook. There are two picnic tables available and three benches.
To contribute to MBP, click here.
Thank you all for your continued support. We continue to move forward to creating a bike park for the children of this amazing city, and setting a shining example Phase 2 of MBP, and ultimately for more bike parks in San Francisco!
San Francisco's First Bike Park 