Paradise Valley Pocket Park to Include Bioswale

After a significant redesign prompted by community response, the South San Francisco City Council unanimously approved the final design of the Paradise Valley pocket park Wednesday night.

The halted plans to change the initial blueprint of the park, which became significantly damaged in March after storm drain leakage caused large trees to collapse and further pipeline damage, when community forums proved neighbors felt no change was necessary.

“Staff didn’t want to assume people wanted us to put everything back the way it was,” said Parks and Recreation Director Sharon Ranals.

Utilizing the space as a dog park, implementing a community garden and installing barbecue pits were discussion topics during the public meetings, Ranals said, but immediate neighbors to the park were opposed to alterations.

“The commission felt their wishes should be strongly respected,” Ranals said.

However, there will be one significant change in the new design.

The final design includes a bioswale, a landscape feature that prevents pollution from storm water runoff.

“I think it’s a pretty significant new feature,” said landscape architect Brian Fletcher of Callander Associates.

Improvements to the damaged park are not to exceed $355,000.

Though the park will essentially stay the same, Flethcher said, more usable turf area and a bioswale enhanced with native plantings will greatly improve the park.

“It’s very much considered a hidden gem,” Ranals said.