Following is a letter sent May 19 by the Little Hollywood Committee to Joel Robinson, acting general manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.

Dear Mr. Robinson:

Our committee would appreciate your personal and your department's recommendation for the $25,000 for the Little Hollywood Playground renovation. Our committee surveyed the playground using the Consumer Federation of America's check list. The shortcomings were:

1) Circular Slide - There was a 4-inch opening at the top of the slide, adjacent to the hand rail. The bottom edge of the protector bead has a sharp protrusion between the two bottom sections of the slide. The vertical support pipe is missing the top end cap. The slide body is badly corroded. One edge of the slide has only a 4-1/2 foot fall zone.

2) Tallest Straight Slide - The upper platform has two vertical guard rail boards missing. The vertical pipe ladder to the upper platform has a 5-1/2 inch opening between the pipe and platform. Between a step and the platform, there is a 4-3/4 inch opening. The fall zone between the lower platform and the slide is less than six feet.

3) All Straight Sides - The hand rails/grab bars have a six inch opening.

4) All Wooden Horizontal Platforms -These are badly cracked and splintered.

5) All Step Poles - These have cracks and splits which can catch small fingers.

6) The Small/Wide Straight Slide - This slide does not have a six foot fall zone on 2 sides.

7) Swing Rings - One of the rings and chain is missing.

8) The Older Children Swing Set - This set is not supported in the center. The horizontal clearance between swings may not be sufficient if the required center support pole is added.
The residents of Little Hollywood say thanks for all the work that has been done to maintain our community park.

Thank you for your time,
Ralph Oroquita
Little Hollywood Committee

Joel Robinson responded on May 26.

Dear Mr. Oroquita:

Thank you for your comprehensive review of playground conditions at Little Hollywood Park.

While the appropriation of $25,000 was not approved for Fiscal Year 1998-99, I can assure you that the Department will present your request to the Open Space Committee for consideration for Fiscal Year 1999-2000 deliberations which are scheduled to get underway in September 1998. However, in reading through your observations, I noted that many of the deficiencies may be corrected by maintenance. Your evaluation of the play area will be forwarded to our Department of Structural Maintenance which will examine the play area for its deficiencies and proceed to correct those that fall under their purview.

Some of your observations pertain to the latest Consumer Product Safety Guidelines. Adherence to the guidelines is applied in the redesign of new play areas. Existing play areas generally meet the standards that were in place at the time the play area was constructed. Because the guidelines are continually changing, it is impossible for all our facilities to meet the most current guidelines at any one time.

Thank you for the time you have taken to evaluate the Little Hollywood Park.

Very truly yours,
Joel Robinson
Acting General Manager
S.F. Recreation and Park Dept.