In celebration of the recently completed Bernal Cut mural, we sat down with Sophie Constantinou, one of the driving forces behind this community project. Read on to learn more about the motivations and impact of this inspiring work.
“The Bernal Cut Beautification project started small. The Bernal Cut itself is a pedestrian pathway that stretches about a mile, rising and falling along the hillside and adjacent to a dramatic slope, ‘The Cut.’ which drops down to San Jose Avenue.
Before the project started, the corridor was littered and the slope had become a weed-filled dumping ground. In the winter, the entire path felt dark and unsafe.
The work in the neighborhood really began in 2012. When I got involved, we had sporadic neighborhood work days. After about a year, we received a greening grant and added dozens more trees and shrubs. From there, the goal became community cohesion, safety, and beautification.
SF Parks Alliance began as a grant funder, supporting our initial beautification efforts. In 2018, we became a fiscally sponsored partner. Since then, meeting with like-minded folks on SF Parks Alliance tours and conferences has inspired new ideas and a greater sense of possibility.”
“We imagine that this ribbon of green will one day reach Glen Park Greenway and all the way up into the Canyon.”
“Today, the Bernal Cut has lighting, interpretive signage and a full acre of established native gardens that support local pollinators, biodiversity, and help address the heat island effect.
Gradually, we have been trying to join forces with neighbors and encourage them to steward their respective sections – block by block, community by community. We imagine that this ribbon of green will one day reach Glen Park Greenway and all the way up into the Canyon.
We have also teamed up with TogetherSF and Refuse Refuse to do more regular neighborhood cleanups. The excitement of having people help from outside our community has really energized us.
For those looking to start a local improvement project of their own: community organizing and managing volunteers is not easy. It takes work to maintain energy, and often, it’s collaborations and team building that sustain long-term enthusiasm.
Connect with your neighborhood groups and don’t reinvent the wheel in the process – your neighbor might be working on a similar project already!”