The downtown San Francisco site of Yerba Buena Gardens was once a challenged neighborhood. Today, it’s part of an 87-acre urban redevelopment project and is recognized as one of the top 30 urban parks in the nation. With a mixture of housing, open space, cultural facilities, children’s facilities, a convention center, and commercial development, San Francisco and the community have transformed the area into a model for how to improve public space and urban areas.
A commitment to learning
GM Message
“RPD University is our commitment to giving our team the tools and training we need to grow professionally, to keep current with best practices and new thinking, and to remain innovative and responsive as we serve the public. RPD-U provides skill development for our workforce to succeed and opportunities for personal growth. When each of us is exposed to different thinking and new ideas, we gain competence, perspective, and judgment—so that all of us benefit. I hope these learning opportunities and programs inspire and connect us to our profession, to each other, and to the park users we serve.”
— General Manager Phil Ginsburg
About RPD-U
The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department is responsible for over 220 of the best parks and recreation centers in the nation. Given that we have locations all across San Francisco, we are a very geographically dispersed workforce. That's where RPD-U comes into play!
