Seward Park Concrete Slides

How They Got Here

In 1963, a developer proposed an 82-unit apartment complex on what was then a vacant lot between Corwin and Seward streets. Roughly a hundred neighbors organized against it, hiring attorney Casper Weinberger (who later served as U.S. Secretary of Defense) to plead their case. A second proposal in 1965 triggered more protests. When bulldozers arrived in January 1966, residents staged a sit-in that directly blocked construction. The city responded by tightening height and density restrictions across the neighborhood.↗

The lot sat vacant until 1969, when the movement pivoted to turning it into a park. The city purchased the land, and San Francisco Recreation & Parks held a design competition organized by Japanese American sculptor Ruth Asawa, who lived nearby. Fourteen-year-old Kim Clark won with a slide concept inspired by Playland at the Beach. The park opened in 1973 to great celebration — Asawa was there, locals played with a big lump of clay, and five men in suits belted out Dixieland jazz. The neighborhood's fight also contributed to citywide legislation requiring minimum open space in new development projects.↗↗

Beyond the Slides

Seward Mini Park itself is a gem of a small green space. A community garden threads along the lower terraces, and a collection of California native plants softens the edges of the slide structure. There's a small children's playground, a basketball half-court, and — from the park's upper edge — a view over the Castro's rooftops toward downtown. It's the kind of place that rewards a wander even if the slides aren't your thing.↗↗

Practical Information

The slides are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays — a metal gate locks over the slide lanes. They also close in wet weather. Admission is free. The park grounds are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Adults are expected to be accompanied by children, per posted signs, though childlike adults often slide under the radar.↗↗↗

The park sits at the corner of Seward and Corwin streets, between the Castro and Noe Valley neighborhoods. From the Castro Muni Metro station (K, L, M, and T lines), it's a roughly 10-minute uphill walk via Castro and 19th streets toward Corwin. The 33 Ashbury/18th bus stops at 18th and Castro. Street parking in the surrounding blocks is limited. The slides are reached only by a steep staircase — there is no step-free route.↗

The weekday afternoon slot tends to be quietest. Bring your own piece of sturdy cardboard if possible, and wear long pants you don't mind getting dusty.↗↗