Bay Area park ranks in top 20 parks on USA Today list

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park turned 154 today. The park’s birthday is especially significant, as it ranked 19th among USA Today’s list of the best parks in the country.

“What better way to celebrate a birthday than by being nominated as one of the best parks in the nation,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a celebration event on Thursday.

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Breed, along with other city officials and community members, were seen celebrating the park’s birthday near the Conservatory of Flowers, the park’s oldest building. Celebrations included a rock climbing wall, a birthday cake, and more.

“This park is part of the cultural fabric of San Francisco. It’s a place to celebrate, relax, play sports, bird watch, see bison, catch a concert, and even swing dance!” Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg said.

Before Golden Gate Park, the park was initially named Outside Lands when the park’s first superintendent, William Hammond Hall, first began designing it in 1870.

During the 1906 earthquake, the park also served as a campsite for some 200,000 displaced San Franciscans.

Since then, the 1,017-acre park has been transformed from natural sand dunes into a world-class park with areas for picnics and relaxations, athletic fields, art installations, 1.5 miles of car-free promenade, live music, festivals, sporting events, museums, lakes, gardens, bison, monuments, memorials, children’s play areas, and more.

Today, an estimated 25 million people visit the park annually. The park boasts several unique gardens, including the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden, Queen Wilhelmina Garden, the Conservatory of Flowers, the Rose Garden, and the Shakespeare Garden, among others.

At the birthday celebration, the Mayor joined Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg to encourage all San Franciscans to vote for the park online.

Anyone can vote once per day until polls close on Monday, April 8, at 9 a.m. The top 10 winning parks will be announced on April 17.

“Golden Gate Park is the City’s crown jewel, drawing San Franciscans, people from across the Bay Area and around the world to enjoy in its splendor,” Breed said.

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