The Chutes opens
A spectacular, family-friendly fantasy arrives by cable car.
An entirely serious civic initiative • San Francisco, CA
Make the Haight
wet again.
A proposal to restore Upper Haight to its rightful place as San Francisco’s center for family recreation, daring feats, and civic renewal.
Enter the archiveExplore the history
01 / The actual history
Before the counterculture, there were the Chutes.
Upper Haight was once built for a different kind of escape.
In 1895, Upper Haight was home to The Chutes, a water amusement park with a 60-foot slide, a model railroad, a zoo, and daredevils performing feats for the crowd. Reached by cable car, it was an outing for children and grown-ups alike.
As the attraction expanded with a theater and balloon rides, it eventually outgrew the neighborhood. By 1902 it had moved to the Inner Richmond; after a fire, its afterlife continued near Ocean Beach. The Haight has never held still for long.
02 / A neighborhood in motion
Every era promises
the real Haight.
Summer of Love
The neighborhood becomes a global symbol—and a place where actual people still live.
A moment for renewal
Upper Haight is ready for a new purpose that respects its earliest and most ambitious traditions.
Why rehydrate?
A plan for a better neighborhood.
For too long, Upper Haight has been asked to coast on a fading reputation. Rehydrate the Haight believes the neighborhood deserves an ambitious new purpose, rooted in the traditions that made it a destination in the first place.
Our approach is simple: bring back the attractions, recreation, and civic confidence that once made the Haight an unforgettable place for San Franciscans and visitors alike.
Explore the four phases →03 / The grand plan
A better future, in four phases
A practical roadmap
for Upper Haight.
Clear the canvas
Level most of Upper Haight. Preserve the “Too Close for Comfort” house, obviously—some cultural heritage is sacred.
Build bigger chutes
Create a safe, modern amusement park that honors the energetic spirit and historic attractions of old Upper Haight.
Move the zoo
Relocate animals from the Outer Sunset to the accessible, tourist-friendly eastern edge of Golden Gate Park.
Release the dogs
Transform the rest of the park into a free-range wild dog preserve. Buffalo, ducks, squirrels: everyone gets a role.
The time for renewal is now.
04 / Proposed conditions
Join the conversation
The Haight deserves
more than a brand story.
Want to talk history, preservation, recreation, or the future of Upper Haight? We want to hear from you.
Write to the campaign