Staffing changes at Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center are causing alarm among some parkgoers, to the point that a petition has been launched to reverse the move.
Community members said they fear the shift could bring an end to popular neighborhood programs, such as Tai-Chi classes, and annual events such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day and National Night Out celebrations.
“The way they're doing it makes it look as if they're trying to get something over on us and eliminate some of our programs,” said Veronica Hunnicutt of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department’s reassignment of staff. “It's disrespectful to the community for not engaging with us so that they could find out what we need and want, and factor that into their final decision.”
The contention started in early October when Facilities Coordinator Monique Crowther announced she had been transferred to another park and the center’s model was shifting from “community” to “neighborhood.” She trained her replacements while in the dark as to why she was being transferred.
“The public can be assured that there will be no reduction or cancellation of programming,” RPD spokesperson Daniel Montes said. “The only change the public may notice is the appointment of a new facility coordinator, as the previous coordinator was serving in an interim capacity.”
Montes did not explain the difference between the community and the neighborhood models or comment on the constituents’ concerns over transparency.
Patrons concerned about the sudden changes organized a meeting with District 11 Supervisor Chyanne Chen for Friday, Oct. 17.
Fifteen members of the center’s Community Recreation Council, RPD staff, program providers and residents showed up and gathered at the center. Nearly everyone in attendance was confused over Crowther’s replacement, saying that she had been there for years and had been great for the community.
Chen canceled the night before to attend an earthquake drill with Mayor Daniel Lurie. She told The Light she had thought the meeting was only a tour of the facility and had received no mention of an opportunity to listen to community concerns.
Ada Kassaye, the center’s Ethiopian music and dance instructor, told the group she was worried that her program, which engages 35 kids at a time, would be cut.
Hunnicutt, alongside other council leaders Al and Mary Harris, told the group that they were not informed of the shift.
Betty Li, who teaches Tai Chi at the center, told the group she had planned to present a petition to Chen calling for all of the center’s programs to be protected. She arranged to present the petition at the supervisor’s office hours the following morning.
“If our voices aren’t heard before a final decision is made, then it's already too late and nothing can change,” Li said about RPD’s lack of transparency.
During the Saturday morning office hours, Chen assured the concerned residents that none of the programs would be cut, participants told The Light afterward.
Mary Harris, who joined via speaker phone, said that the preservation of programs was not ultimately the point.
“If they're making large changes like this, they should come to the community. It should be up front. And we should be told what's going on,” she told The Light.
Linshao Chin, a legislative aide for Chen, told The Light that she did not understand the transparency issue. She said community members can get attached to their park directors and react to a reshuffling of staff.
“I still want to make the point that this is not the way we should do business in District 11,” Mary Harris said. “We have a rec council and we weren't even told.”
Chin said the office had been assured time and time again that the programming is not affected.
Montes, RPD’s spokesperson, said the center’s new facility coordinator is Angel Hom, a former employee of Millbrae’s Recreation Department.
For Li, the Tai Chi instructor, reassurances aren’t enough. She plans to take the petition to Lurie to protect the programs.
“It would be good to take it further, we still don’t know what their plan is,” she said.
