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Once estimated to cost $1.7 million, San Francisco’s long-mocked toilet is up and running

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Once estimated to cost .7 million, San Francisco’s long-mocked toilet is up and running


A San Francisco restroom once estimated to cost $1.7 million is now up and running for the public after the city received criticism, jokes and a generous donation.

San Francisco Recreation and Parks opened the single public restroom in the Noe Valley neighborhood after receiving a donation that cut the city’s cost to under $200,000, Daniel Montes, the city agency’s communication manager, told USA TODAY in an email.

“The bathroom has been well received by the Noe Valley community, and we’re happy to finally provide some relief for parkgoers,” Montes said.

Public Restroom Company’s and Volumetric Building Companies’ donations equate to a combined $425,000 and include a prefabricated modular restroom and all associated installation work, the city agency said in a January 2023 news release. Public Restroom Company, a Nevada-based business, also donated a toilet previously used for demonstration purposes in trade shows.

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“The gift also allows Rec and Park to save approximately $491,000 in design, construction management and other regulatory and design review costs,” according to the release.

San Francisco Rec and Park criticized for $1.7 million restroom

Before the donation, the city received criticism from community members who thought the restroom would be paid entirely by state funding, San Francisco Rec and Park said in the release. The initial “rough estimate” for the custom-designed and custom-built restroom at Noe Valley Town Square was $1.7 million with a two-year timeline, according to the city agency.

The donation will save the city $115,500 on construction, $91,800 in project management fees and $90,000 in architecture and engineering fees, San Francisco Rec and Park said.

“We are thrilled to accept this generous donation, which will allow us to deliver this important project to the Noe Valley community,” Phil Ginsburg, general manager of San Francisco Rec and Park, said in the release. “… It’s not easy navigating the city’s contracting and construction process, which of course is of small consolation when your 2-year-old needs a diaper change. We will fully support efforts by our city’s leaders to make small public works projects like this one − which aren’t always saved by philanthropy − less costly and more efficient to deliver.”

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Bill Maher, San Francisco residents find humor in the installation of $1.7 million restroom

Although the city received a donation to cover some expenses, the public and celebrities still made jokes about a restroom estimated to cost $1.7 million.

Comedian Bill Maher spoke about the bathroom in February 2023 on his talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” which he reposted on Facebook. He called San Francisco the “poop capital of the world” and said the problem he has with the government is that it does not disclose other expenses needed for projects which “sucks the money out of America.”

One commenter under Maher’s clip on Facebook joked about cashing out on the new restroom.

“Imma gonna use it, slip and fall, and sue the city for $14 million,” the commenter said.

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San Francisco residents even found the idea of a $1.7 million toilet humorous when they held the “Toilet Bowl” on Sunday to commemorate the bathroom’s installation.

“We wanted to, you know, really roll with it,” Zach D’Angelo, dressed as a giant roll of toilet paper with a red plunger as his hat, told the New York Times at the event. D’Angelo stepped away from hosting trivia at a pub down the street to be the event’s emcee, or what he called “the Grand Poobah,” the outlet reported.

“I am flush with excitement!” D’Angelo told the outlet, before he began telling toilet jokes his 7-year-old nephew came up with.



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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco could vote again on whether to allow cars on the Great Highway

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San Francisco could vote again on whether to allow cars on the Great Highway


In San Francisco’s Sunset District, controversy continues over what to do with the Great Highway.

Friday, the newly-appointed supervisor for that district, Alan Wong, confirmed he is running to keep his job. He also shared that he would support a ballot measure that would bring cars back to the now-closed stretch of road. Some residents in the district already said they would be prepared to fight back against that ballot measure if it came to fruition.

This has been a politically tumultuous year for the Sunset District. In November of 2024, San Francisco voters narrowly approved Proposition K, which moved to close the highway along Ocean Beach to cars and to transform it into a park. In March of 2025, the stretch of road was permanently closed to cars, and in April, the area was officially reopened as Sunset Dunes Park. In September, voters recalled then-Supervisor Joel Engardio, with many in the campaign against Engardio expressing frustration with his support for turning the Great Highway into a park. In November, Mayor Daniel Lurie appointed Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz as the new supervisor for District 4, only to have her resign a week later amid growing questions about her actions as a small business owner.

At the start of December, Mayor Lurie swore in Alan Wong as his new appointee to serve as supervisor in District 4. Wong grew up in the Sunset, attended Lincoln High School, and has served as both an elected member of the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees and as a legislative aid to former supervisor Gordon Mar.

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In an interview with NBC Bay Area on Friday, Wong shared that he has not hidden the fact that he voted no on Prop. K in the 2024 election. However, in his first three weeks in office, Wong said he set out to “have conversations with different constituent groups and listen to them” about the issues.

“After three weeks of listening and having these conversations, I believe that my values and how I voted before align with the majority of the district,” Wong said.

San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong supports a ballot measure that calls for cars to return to the Great Highway.

“And as the district supervisor, I need to take a leadership role in representing the district that I am here to serve,” he continued.

Wong said he is now prepared to be one of the four supervisors supporting a ballot initiative to reopen the Great Highway to cars on weekdays.

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Molly Rose, with Sunset Parent Advocates, worries that when Wong was listening to community voices over the past three weeks, some voices may have been left out.

“If he talked to the Sunset residents, he didn’t talk to me, and he didn’t talk to us– the family groups I am a part of,” Rose said.

“We are all very pro-park, we use it very heavily as a park,” she continued.

Rose said there are several hundred parents involved with her group. As a parent, Rose said her children love going to the park there.

“Sunset Dunes is the place where I take my kids to have a safe place to play,” she said.

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Rose said that she has been asking for Wong to meet with her group, but has been waiting to hear back from his scheduling team.

Wong’s office confirmed that Rose is in touch with their office and that Wong’s scheduler is “actively coordinating a time” for them to meet.

“While I do think there is a very loud, anti-park contingent of people in the Sunset, I don’t think they’re the majority,” Rose emphasized.



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New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays

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New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays


SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Alan Wong, the new supervisor for District four in San Francisco, has publicly expressed his support for reopening the Great Highway to vehicles on weekdays. This statement comes amid ongoing debates surrounding the highway’s conversion into a park last spring, which was met with mixed reactions from the community.

The Great Highway was transformed into a public park earlier this year, a change that many residents have embraced, while some local neighbors have pushed back. Joel Engardio, the former supervisor who supported this conversion through Measure K, was recalled this year, highlighting the division among constituents in District four.

Wong, who was appointed as supervisor following Engardio’s recall, filed paperwork to run for the elected position on the board. His term is set to last until January 2027, during which he aims to solidify his platform around reopening the Great Highway.

In his statement, Wong emphasized, “I believe my values align with a majority of Sunset residents who support reopening the Great Highway to cars on weekdays. As a result, I am prepared to be one of four supervisors needed to sponsor a ballot initiative to restore that compromise.” This suggests Wong’s intent to address community concerns head-on while building a wider consensus.

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Prior to its conversion, the Great Highway allowed vehicles during the week and served as a park on weekends, a compromise Wong supports restoring. He aims to return to this model in response to feedback from local constituents.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.



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San Francisco, CA

Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco

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Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco


Pro volleyball will soon be coming to San Francisco and this latest team is part of a surge of women’s sports.

League One Volleyball officially launched this year with six teams. Now the league has announced it’s expanding to nine teams, and that one of those expansion teams will be based in the city by the bay.

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Three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsy Robinson Cook is on the ownership team for LOVB San Francisco, bringing professional volleyball to the city. “Can tell you it’s going to be amazing,” said Robinson Cook. “Then, when you bring in the fandom of the Bay Area and SF I think personally it’s going to make for an incredible atmosphere.”

Team ownership said starting a team in the Bay Area is a natural with colleges and universities in the region turning out top talent. “It’s the number one sport for women and girls and I think that just speaks volumes as to where we’re headed, not only in club and college, but professionally,” said Robinson Cook.

Pro women’s volleyball is part of a growing list of professional women’s sports teams calling San Francisco and the Bay Area home.

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The women’s professional baseball league announced plans for a team in San Francisco. Bay FC and the Golden State Valkyries are already proving there is a market for professional women’s sports.

When pro-volleyball was looking to expand, San Francisco was a natural choice. “You’re seeing Bay FC, the Valkyries, the success that they have, and this market loves sports, and they’ve also proven they love women’s sports,” said Robinson Cook.

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San Francisco leaders said the city has already proven that it supports pro-women’s teams, and will welcome professional volleyball. Mayor Daniel Lurie pointed to the city’s rich sports history and enthusiasm to support the home teams. “Now, as we saw with the Valkyries selling out every single home game last year, there is an appetite, there is a fan base, and this new league understands that,” said Mayor Lurie.

At this time, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, including exactly where LOVB San Francisco will play. Organizers say they have a lot of plans in the works to get the team ready to bump, set and spike starting in January 2027.

 

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