Duboce Park facts for kids
Duboce Park is a popular urban park in San Francisco, California. It sits between the Duboce Triangle and Lower Haight neighborhoods. The park is about one block wide and two blocks long. Its edges are Scott Street on the west and Steiner Street on the east. This park is part of the special Duboce Park Landmark District.
The N Judah Muni Metro streetcar line runs along Duboce Avenue. This street forms the southern border of the park. You can easily get to the park using the Duboce and Noe Street MUNI station. The train tracks go into the Sunset Tunnel at the park's western end.
Contents
About Duboce Park
Duboce Park is a lively place with many things to do. It's especially popular for dog walkers. Dogs can play off-leash in the Multi-Use Area. This special section opened on March 8, 2008.
What You Can Do There
West of the Multi-Use Area, you'll find a fenced-in playground for kids. Behind the playground, there's a basketball court with several hoops. Across from the children's play area is a Public Lawn Area. This space is just for people to relax, so dogs are not allowed here.
Between the Public Lawn and the Multi-Use Area, there's a walking path. It has water fountains for both people and their pets. Along Scott Street, you can find a labyrinth. It was finished in 2007. This labyrinth is a quiet place for thinking or relaxing.
The Harvey Milk Recreational Arts Building is at the west end of the park. It was updated and reopened in June 2009. This building hosts many community events. It has a photography center and a studio for dance and aerobics classes. It also offers a Midnight Music Program. The Friends of Duboce Park group holds an Annual Film Festival here. They show movies filmed right in San Francisco.
Filming Location
Duboce Park has been a filming spot for movies and TV shows. In 2005, a fake BART station was built here. It was used for the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. After filming, it was removed. The park also appears in the Oscar-winning movie Milk. A helicopter even landed in the park for a stunt. This was for the TV series Trauma.
Unique Features
San Francisco's official weather station is located in Duboce Park. This is because the park is close to the city's center. You might sometimes see weather data from San Francisco International Airport. That airport is about 10 miles south in San Mateo County. But Duboce Park is the city's true weather observation spot.
The park is also special because homes are built right next to it. Most parks have a road or walkway separating them from buildings. Duboce Park is one of the few in the city where buildings are directly alongside the park land.
History of the Park
The city first marked this area as public park land in 1858. However, the park wasn't actually built until 1902. This was around the same time many homes were being built nearby. This area is now known as the Duboce Park Landmark District.
The 1906 earthquake and fire caused a lot of damage in San Francisco. But the Duboce Park area was not badly harmed. Because of this, the park was used as a safe camp for people who lost their homes. They stayed there for about a year. The park is named after Victor Donglain Duboce.
