Thousands enjoy new facilities at San Francisco's Dolores Park

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- After more than a year of renovations, half of Dolores Park in San Francisco's Mission District has reopened. The sunny weather on Father's Day led thousands to flock to the park to enjoy the new facilities.

The city spent about $8 million tearing up half of the park and then putting it all back together again. And on this first weekend since it reopened to the public, there were plenty of people enjoying it.

The newly renovated half of Dolores Park now boasts six acres of newly laid turf. And in an effort to cut down on the millions of gallons of trash collected each year, there are bigger trash cans and more of them encircling the whole area.

There is also a new 27 stall restroom facility that had a long line of parkgoers patiently waiting to get in.

The other half of the park is already closed down for the rest of the renovation to begin.

When asked what he thought of not having the other half of the park for a while, Kyle Stephenson said, "Well, I mean, you'll get over. I mean, if it's going to be as good as this, you'll get over it. It's worth the wait."

Jackie Altamirano added, "They've definitely done something with flowers and just cleaned it up a lot. I remember coming here when I was little and there was a lot more polluted areas, like trash and just junk everywhere."

The upper end of the park is usually some of the most popular space there. And it will undergo a similar makeover.

The total budget for the entire park is about $20 million.

Officials with San Francisco Recreation and Park expect the second half of the renovation to be finished early next year.