In October 1999, Chinatown celebrated the successful completion of Woh Hei Yuen, the first new park for the Chinatown community in over 40 years. The project is especially noteworthy in that Chinatown CDC and CBPRC, together with the San Francisco Department of Public Works, used a unique and inclusive community planning process to design and implement the improvements. Community input was solicited broadly to not only determine how the park should be designed but also to ensure that the new parkšs name was reflective of the community, the park's primary users (by sponsoring a public "name the new park" contest).

Another noteworthy open space project, which is currently underway, is the Healthy People-Healthy Environment Initiative, funded by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Foundation. The project is a two-year community planning effort that will:

1. assess and update open space, recreational and environmental needs of the Chinatown community
2. identify and implement improvements and programs that will meet the needs identified.

Chinatown CDC, in collaboration with CBPRC, is the lead agency spearheading this effort, which is expected to conclude in December 2000 with specific short-term improvements implemented.

Other open space projects under construction:

• Renovation of Portsmouth Square, Chinatown's "living room," to be completed by December 1999.
• Renovation and Expansion of St. Mary's Square, the first phase of which (the rooftop expansion) to be completed by end of 2000.