546–650 Capitol Avenue

1. 1930s

   The site was established as a public athletic field in the early 1930s under the playground bond program; park plans from 1930, 1931 and 1948 and historic aerial photographs show the playfield footprint and the positions of its two baseball fields essentially unchanged since.

   San Francisco Planning Department, Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration — Minnie and Lovie Ward Playfields Renovation, 2012.
2. February 6, 1931

   San Francisco voters passed Proposition 3, "Improvements in Public Playgrounds," a $200,000 bond issue for building and improving playgrounds; it included funding for the Ocean View playground on this site.

   San Francisco Planning Department, Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration — Minnie and Lovie Ward Playfields Renovation, 2012.
3. Dec 2003

   Permit 200312303203

   Demolish a one story recreation building.

4. Dec 2003

   Permit 200312303204

   Demolish 2 stories of recreation building.

5. Dec 2003

   Permit 200312303207 $$$ $6,000,000

   Erect one story recreation center.

6. Jan 2004

   Permit 200401063389 $$$ $50,000

   Demolish portion of the existing room, reinforce the openings with a new one hour fire rated wall assem.

7. 2005

   The recreation center — formerly the Ocean View Park and Recreation Center — was renamed the Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center after two local park advocates and fundraisers.

   San Francisco Planning Department, Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration — Minnie and Lovie Ward Playfields Renovation, 2012.
8. Apr 2007

   Permit 200704058109 $$$ $34,200

   Overhead fire protection system at new recreation building- 171 heads.

9. Jul 2007

   Permit 200707166845 $$$ $10,000

   Install fire detection and alarm system in new construction.

10. 2008

    The park's upper level — the recreation center, gymnasium, teen building and courtyard — was renovated; the playing fields and tennis courts were not part of that work.

    San Francisco Planning Department, Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration — Minnie and Lovie Ward Playfields Renovation, 2012.
11. Jan 2008

    Permit 200801243144 $$$ $1,000

    New construction-hook up pre piped hood to 3 gallon ansul system.

12. May 2008

    Permit 200805071504 $$$ $1,000

    Revision to 200801243144, ansul r102 hook up and hood and duct system, change nozzles.

13. Jun 2008

    Permit 200806033576 $$$ $1

    Renew permit application 2007/07/16/6845 & permit application 2007/04/05/8109 for final inspection only.

14. 2010

    The Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center, named for the activist couple who served the Oceanview, Merced Heights and Ingleside neighbourhoods for many years.

    African American Citywide Historic Context Statement, adopted 2024
15. 2012

    An evaluation for the playfields renovation found the park not a historical resource under CEQA — not listed in or eligible for the California Register, not an Article 10 landmark or part of a historic district, and a typical rather than outstanding example of municipal park design.

    San Francisco Planning Department, Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration — Minnie and Lovie Ward Playfields Renovation, 2012.
16. Jun 2013

    Issued Permit 201306109024 $$$ $2,000,000

    Renovate turf athletic field with synthetic turf and field lights. new/renovated fencings, walls, drainage, irrigation planting.

17. May 2026

    Issued Permit 202605141245 $$$ $2,000,000

    Remove and replace sythetic turf amaterial, install new drainage baserock under turf, replace 3 drinking fountains with ada approved units/paint handrails/repair existing chainlink fence fabric and rails/replace benches; trash cans/ minor ada restroom upgrades.

2 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits are omitted from the timeline. 1 expired permit is not shown.