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Cayuga Playground Visit ...

8/5/2011

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… after a hiatus of a few years.

From the M-Oceanview Metro I exited at the Farallones & San Jose stop. You can’t miss the old pedestrian skyway that crosses the freeway. At the end of this, continue on the steep switchbacked walkers’ ramp down to Alemany.

Along the slope down to the freeway there’s all sorts of dumped trash. BART speeds by frequently but too fast to see much of the park below from its windows. The park is between the Balboa Park and Daly City stations.

There’s an enclosed sidewalk here leading from the rather secluded ramp to the street and I’d be leery of taking this route at night.

At the foot of the short stairway (28 steps) down from busy Alemany at Naglee is the first park entrance I came to. Along Alemany, though one can peer through the chainlink fence at the sculptures and garden, the gates are padlocked. One of the climbing structures seen from here had one of those caution cones atop it (see first photo – taken around 2007). The second and third photos are also of carvings still in existence but taken in earlier years.

This is a little oasis of a park in a rather nondescript neighborhood not far from the Daly City line. There didn’t appear to be any restroom facilities in the park, but the inviting green lawn, flowers, and other plants are well cared for.

A number of the artworks have either been moved someplace else or recycled. Was disappointed I didn’t see certain favorites that remain in my Webshots Cayuga Playground album.

Of the ones still in the park, some could certainly use loving hands to retouch and repaint them as they’re faded, chipped, and some have been graffitied-upon. 

The artist, whom I met once, Demetrio Braceros, retired several years ago. I’d like to see someone who lives nearby take over and care for these unique and delightful sculptures; it’s sad seeing them so neglected, those that are left.

In an Examiner article, the Arts Commission assessed that only about half of the more than 300 artworks were in fair condition and the rest in poor condition. See:  http://www.sfexaminer.com/blogs/under-dome/cayuga-park-playground-get-facelift

So what’s going to happen to the remaining sculptures?

Another article said some of the carvings would be treated to prevent decay and returned to the park after construction; however, this article was apparently written in 2008: 
http://www.feastofweeds.com/cayuga

One more I found of interest:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM8MH4

Is there anything more recent than these articles to let people know what’s going on currently with the park and these sculptures?

Picture
Taken about 2007
Picture
Taken about 2007
Picture
Taken about 2007
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    I like meandering around on San Francisco's park trails and public stairways, sometimes taking photos, and enjoying nature and the outdoors.

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