(CNN) — Space is a precious commodity in San Francisco. Finding room for new urban parkland in the densely developed, water-surrounded city requires some ingenuity.
On Sunday, a long-awaited creative solution opens to the public and gives tourists another thing to add to their San Francisco to-do list.
Years in the making, the 14-acre park is an urban oasis with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
This rendering shows the vision of a green oasis in San Francisco set atop — and also hiding — a busy highway tunnel.
James Corner Field Operations
“The iconic setting is perfect for transforming highway infrastructure into a vibrant new public space.”
Tunnel Top features
This rendering shows the Campfire Circle, with a central gas firepit and seating for up to 75. It’s planned as a spot for ranger talks or community gatherings.
James Corner Field Operations
While those Golden Gate views are going to be a certain highlight, the park plans other features for the city’s residents and many tourists.
So what was once a raised freeway has been replaced by paths that connect the two for the first time in decades, according to a news release from the partnership.
Other key parts of Tunnel Tops include:
• Presidio Steps: These terraces will connect the Cliff Walk to the Outpost, a two-acre outdoor play area for children. They face the Golden Gate Bridge, so visitors can enjoy dramatic views.
• Field Station: Here, young people can explore the Presidio’s natural and cultural environment “through the lens of science, art, and imagination.”
This rendering is of Golden Gate Meadow. It’s meant to be a gathering area surrounded by gardens, tall native grasses and perennials. The park plans it to be used for picnics, kite-flying and connecting with nature.
James Corner Field Operations
Art murals, picnic areas, a campfire circle and meadows for kite-flying have also been added.
San Francisco provides plenty of urban hiking, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops should prove to make a great starting point or terminus for a robust outing.
What this means to San Francisco tourism
The aerial rendering shows how the Presidio Tunnel Tops will fit into the larger Presidio area.
James Corner Field Operations
San Francisco is abundant with classic attractions: Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, Alcatraz, Chinatown and the Palace of Fine Arts, among many others. How will the new kid stand out?
“The Presidio is one of San Francisco’s unique attractions — a national park destination within an urban destination. Still, some travelers are not as familiar with the Presidio as they are with the city’s other iconic sights,” said Hubertus Funke, executive vice president and chief tourism officer of the San Francisco Travel Association.
“The high-profile opening of Presidio Tunnel Tops will elevate the park’s global profile, and it will become a ‘must-see’ attraction.”
He said Presidio Tunnel Tops will offer “diverse programming reflecting the Bay Area’s cultural vibrancy. … It’s an incredible enhancement to one of the country’s most beautiful and most visited national parks.”
Opening day festivities
The Outpost play area for children (and the young at heart) is seen under construction.
Rachel Styer
A private ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Saturday, July 16.
Hours for the public’s opening day are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 17. The Sunday event is free.
You can get there via the PresidoGo shuttle, Muni bus 43 (with direct service to the Presidio Transit Center) and Muni bus 30 (with direct service to nearby Crissy Field).
It will be a diverse opening day with entertainment that includes Afro-Latin dance, bilingual poetry readings, a ranger talk at the new Campfire Circle and more.
Food trucks featuring Bay Area cuisine will be on hand, and social justice activist Favianna Rodriguez will unveils a temporary mural installation called “Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future.”
Top image: A view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio Tunnel Tops while under construction. (Photo by Rachel Styer)
Source: www.cnn.com