Buena Vista Park's spirit infuses volunteer corps

Ride the 37-Corbett up 14th from Market and you will be greeted at San Francisco's Buena Vista Park by a set of three new wooden benches that look so inviting you'll want to get off the bus and try them out, regardless of your final destination.

Those benches, installed over the summer with a freshly planted lawn in front and a stone wall behind, are for the benefit of everyone. The project was paid for by the state and built by the city, but it might never have happened without five years of planning input and another five years of pushing by the Buena Vista Neighborhood Association (BVNA).

BVNA, which began as a NIMBY uprising against nearby Davies Hospital, has evolved into a force with one focus - the circular park at the top of the hill. Plotted in 1868, it is the oldest park in San Francisco and site of one of its last groves of coast live oak trees.

"Thirty-six acres of wilderness in the middle of the city," is the description given by Richard Magary, chair of the steering committee for BVNA, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014.

Four hundred members pay dues of $25 a year per household for the privilege of gathering the first Saturday morning of each month to pull weeds and otherwise beautify the park. These monthly volunteer days are as far as it goes in terms of regular meetings for BVNA. That's a big reason for its success and spirit. There is no president, there are no politics and they don't fundraise.

"We aren't constantly shaking the can, and our members aren't interested in meeting," says Magary, who works at home across the street from the park.

Magary, 72, has been in his rental unit since 1976 and from his perch he can see the crown of the park, and across to the bay. He could sit here staring all day, but he prefers to be on the ground with the people, whether they are tourists with guidebooks or Haight-Ashbury pilgrims who wander into the park from its north entrance.

His point of entry is at the intersection of Buena Vista Avenue and Upper Terrace, where a wooden boardwalk cuts across the side of the hill, leading to a view of Mount Diablo. That's the new park. The old park has a path with gutters and walls built of marble tombstones remaindered when the graveyards were moved to Colma.

Magary knows where to spot random letters and numbers on the marble and he also knows the history of BVNA, going back to the precise moment in 1964 that word drifted up the hill that Franklin Hospital (now the Davies Campus of CPMC) wanted to install a rooftop helipad for airlifting in trauma patients.

"The neighbors succeeded," says Magary, who was not yet involved. "The helipad was never built and as a result of that the neighbors felt unity. They needed a name and the natural choice was Buena Vista, because the park is the centerpiece of the neighborhood."

Soon enough BVNA had another issue with a hospital, St. Joseph's, on Buena Vista East. The church-run facility was closed and sold to a developer who had big plans for condos. Too big. When BVNA put up a fight it was downscaled significantly.

At that point, BVNA was two for two and retired from the wars though it still does battle with potholes and crime.

"The only thing that we don't do is get involved with Planning Commission issues," Magary says.

The downhill entrances, on Haight Street, get the crowds and the noise from the park playground. The uphill entrances are residential and serene. Put a fence around it and give homeowners who face it the key and you'd have all the elegance of a private park in Manhattan.

"It's like a very big Gramercy Park but not quite as elite," says Magary, laughing at the comparison. "Buena Vista Park is very heavily used, not only with recreation walkers but with dog walkers and everybody else."

San Francisco has more than 300 parks and more than 100 volunteer groups that support them.

New city parks, under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Park Department, and street parks, under the Department of Public Works, are opening all the time. One is sprouting up even now, an updo of a parking lot into Noe Valley Town Square, which already has a booster group waiting to take care of it.

Here are some of the other groups that deal specifically and only with keeping up their neighborhood parks. To join one of these "Friends of" groups and to find more of them, go to http://www.sfparksalliance.org/, or call (415) 621-3260.

-- Buena Vista Neighborhood Association

-- Huntington Park Playground

-- Lincoln Park Steps

-- Sutro Stewards

-- Hidden Garden Steps

-- Kezar Triangle

-- Lafayette Park

-- Larsen Playground

-- Mountain Lake Park

-- Pennsylvania Gardens

-- Progress Park

-- South Park

-- Upper Douglass Dog Park

-- Waterfront Playground

-- Park Presidio Neighbors

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf

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Visiting the Cities, Coast and Parks of Yorkshire

Yorkshire, in the north of England, is one county that packs a lot of touristic punch! From its vibrant and charming cities to its two national parks and stunning coastline, there’s a lot to keep tourists entertained. Visitors should consider staying a while and bed and breakfasts in Yorkshire are a great option, as there are a number of historic and charming inns in the area.

Leeds is the largest city in Yorkshire and after years of slow decline the city is once again on its way up. The city’s “24-hour initiative” is designed to encourage all-night entertainment options, like bars and cafes, and Leeds is indeed one of England’s most happening cities after dark. In the city center, the Victorian-era buildings have been recently renovated and the city has an attractive high street.

The 12th century Kirkstall Abbey lies in ruins just north of Leeds and is a cool spot to visit.

A few miles to the northeast of Leeds lies the historic city of York. The city’s chief attraction is York Minster, which is a 14th century cathedral that is one of the finest in all of England. Otherwise visitors can spend their time exploring the city center’s charming medieval alleyways, which are known in York as snickelways.

Getting up close and personal with the imposing York Minster.

The resort town of Whitby, surrounded on all sides by the North York Moors National Park, is one of England’s most picturesque communities. Tourists can spend their time in the city lazing by the sea or eating fish and chips at one of the seaside restaurants. More active visitors can escape into the countryside for long nature walks along the bluffs.

Whitby has a scenic position where the River Esk meets the North Sea.

Scarborough, just south of Whitby and at the edge of the national park, is another top resort town in the area. Situated on a beautiful and sandy beach, the town is separated into two distinct neighborhoods by the headland and its castle. The northern side is mainly for tourists and beachgoers, while the southern side is home to historic residences and seaside cliffs.

The beach at Scarborough on a sunny summer day.

The North York Moors National Park occupies a huge slice of coastal Yorkshire and wows visitors with its stunning scenery and serene locales. Get out of the car to experience the park to its fullest by embarking upon a hiking adventure. The 40-mile Lyle Wake Walk, which spans the entire park from east to west, is a good choice.

Sweeping views of the coastline in the North York Moors National Park.

On the opposite side of the county from the moors is the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Though it’s not on the coast, the park nevertheless preserves a beautiful slice of the English countryside. Think long walks past historic farmhouses, rolling green hills and steep rock masses.

Hiking in Ewe Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Photo credit Ricky Harrison / CC BY-SA.

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