The India Basin Waterfront Park project is guided by an Equitable Development Plan (EDP), a first for San Francisco. It ensures that the waterfront park will benefit current Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) residents while preserving the culture and identity of the historic neighborhood. It provides a blueprint for delivering a park designed by and for the community while improving economic opportunity and environmental health for its residents.
See a list of programs below that we are currently implementing as guided by the EDP, to ensure BVHP community members are the main beneficiaries of the project.
Community Innovation Lab
The Community Innovation Lab, a tech, sports and recreational programming hub for the Bayview-Hunters Point community, opened in October 2023. The Lab is an expansion of the park's Tech Hub, which has offered free Wi-Fi access, laptop and tablet lending and technical support, and a variety of community services to neighborhood residents since 2021.
The Lab offers a range of new services including free rentals of sports and activity equipment; space for community organizations to host their programming, workshops, networking events, and more; as well as free Wi-Fi access, laptop and tablet lending, technical support, and community services.
The expansion of the Tech Hub into the Lab was outlined in the project's Equitable Development Plan, a first for San Francisco, which ensures that the waterfront park will benefit current Bayview-Hunters Point residents while preserving the culture and identity of the historic neighborhood. It provides a blueprint for delivering a park designed by and for the community while improving economic opportunity and environmental health for its residents.
Illuminate’s Sounds of the Street music series, a partnership with the Bayview Opera House, currently is hosted at the Lab. The series brings music to the park on select Saturdays through November 2023, featuring musicians and artists, including those from or connected to the Bayview-Hunters Point, representing a variety of genres.
The lab will also host the Hip Hop in the Park Initiative, a program organized by Hip Hop for Change and supported by a grant from the San Francisco Foundation, in partnership with the California Arts Council. This initiative will organize a number of workshops and activations at India Basin Shoreline Park beginning in January 2024 that will be based out of the lab.
Bayview Safety Swim and Splash
The India Basin Waterfront Park project partners and Y of San Francisco have partnered to create the Bayview Safety Swim and Splash (BSSS) program. BSSS is a free learn-to-swim program for youth, kindergarten to 5th grade, living or attending school in the 94124 ZIP code in the Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) neighborhood.
The goal of the program is to ensure that BVHP youth are comfortable and confident in the water, meaning that they can swim, float, breathe, and get to safety if needed.
The program is based out of the Martin Luther King Jr. Pool (5701 3rd Street) in the BVHP neighborhood and provides swimsuits, towels, goggles and other equipment for participants that need it. Swim instructors are provided by both Rec and Park and the Y.
Additionally, a water safety workforce development program for older youth is in development as a part of our efforts to train the next generation of swim instructors and lifeguards, which is anticipated to begin in late 2023.
The program follows the EDP’s Youth Opportunities area of focus, and its strategy to invest in youth programming within BVHP. It also follows the EDP’s Workforce and Business Development area of focus, and its strategy to provide training and professional development opportunities through the construction and operations of the park.
The next session of BSSS will take place in fall of 2023. For more information, including on how to participate in this program, click this link.
India Basin Specialty Construction Training
The India Basin Waterfront Park specialty construction training is a free program in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and its CityBuild Academy. Trainings are delivered by union professionals with other benefits such as tool and union initiation assistance, employment sponsorship as a union apprentice, and more. The program follows the EDP’s Workforce and Business Development area of focus, and its strategies to support the BVHP commercial corridors adjacent to and beyond the park, build and sustain local job creation with an emphasis on the Black community, and provide training and professional development opportunities through the construction and operations of the park.
For more information on training opportunities, fill out this interest form. Additional questions? Call (415) 821-4777 or visit the A. Philp Randolph Institute at 1301 Evans Avenue.
Free Financial Coaching for BVHP Community
The India Basin Waterfront Park project partners are working with the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment to offer free, one-on-one financial coaching is available to anyone who lives, works, studies, or receives services in the neighborhood. Smart Money Coaches focus on supporting clients to open safe and affordable bank accounts, establish and build emergency funds, manage debt, and establish and build their credit. Coaches are available to provide sessions in Spanish and Cantonese, along with English; and coaching is available to all, regardless of immigration status.
The program follows the EDP’s Workforce and Business Development area of focus, and its strategy to support the BVHP commercial corridors adjacent to and beyond the park. It also follows the Youth Opportunities area of focus, and its strategy to create educational and leadership development opportunities for local youth.
Coaching is offered virtually or in-person. To make an appointment, call (877) 256-0073 or click this link.
Teen Nights at India Basin Shoreline Park
Teen Nights are hosted India Basin Shoreline Park to create a safe and fun place for teens and youth in the BVHP community and beyond. Attractions include live entertainment, movie nights, food, recreational activities and more. The program follows the EDP’s Youth Opportunities area of focus, and its strategy to invest in youth programming within BVHP. Save the date for the next teen night on Saturday, September 30, 2023.
Sankofa Makers Market
The Sankofa Makers Market is an outdoor market series hosted at India Basin Shoreline Park that features local BIPOC-run businesses from the BVHP community, as well as games, food, music and more. The program follows the EDP’s Workforce and Business Development area of focus, and its strategy to support the BVHP commercial corridors adjacent to and beyond the park. Stay tuned for the next series in 2024.
In addition to the programs listed above, the India Basin Waterfront Park project partners have implemented or supported a number of one-off events, activations, projects and more at the future India Basin Waterfront Park site and in the BVHP community, ranging from the Hypecourt Installation at the park to the annual Juneteenth celebration at Gilman Playground and much more!