Francisco Garden, San Francisco, CA 

In 1859, the first large reservoir was constructed in San Francisco to support the city’s growth during the gold rush and the discovery of the Comstock lode silver. In 1940, a new Lombard Reservoir replaced it, rendering the Francisco Reservoir obsolete.
The Francisco Reservoir faced potential commercial development in the late 1950s. Still, due to community resistance, plans were halted by the city council, and the property was later declared non-surplus by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). In 2006, the PUC expressed its intention to declare the property surplus for sale, leading to community efforts to repurpose the site.
A Francisco Park Working Group was formed in June 2011 to propose community-oriented concepts for the Francisco site. Over the years, various developments, negotiations, and approvals took place, culminating in April 2022, when all park improvements were transferred to the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. A “Watering Ceremony” officially opened Francisco Park to the public on April 27, 2022.