Fantastic news, guys: the “controversal” proposal to convert a parking lot at 17th and Folsom to a public park has been approved by Rec & Park, according to Mission Local:

This week, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission approved the purchase of the property for $2.42 million. The park proposal is expected to go before the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission next month and before the Board of Supervisors by early October, but the Recreation and Park Commission’s approval typically makes it a deal, according to groups involved with the project.

All the funding for the park, including purchasing the land, constructing the park, and maintaining it for three years, has been raised by private entities.  That's right, the city won't have to spend a dime on this project.  Of course, the Rec & Park Department is already seeing green:

Rec and Park, already notoriously cash-strapped, may wind up incorporating concessions into the park to offset maintenance costs after the initial funding runs out, added [Karen Mauney-Brodek, deputy director for park planning at the Recreation and Park Department].

Nice.

[Mission Loc@l]