The city will charge up to $4 per hour to park between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. Hourly rates will start at $1.25 and will be higher east of Crossover Drive. Drivers will be able to pay at 25 kiosks installed around the park or through the Hotspot or Parkmobile apps.

The Recreation and Parks Department estimates that fees from the roughly 4,000 drivers who park in the park each day will generate $10 million in annual revenue. The department says the proceeds will go toward deferred maintenance and affordable recreation programs.

For Danny McCue, a professional dogwalker who drives clients' dogs to the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields on weekdays, the new charge adds another expense at a time when costs are already rising. He said the fields offer space and few off-leash pets that might bother him or the dogs, but the parking fee threatens his routine.

"It's another cost, when everything is getting more expensive, and my ability to raise rates isn't going up," McCue said. "A lot of dogwalkers are talking about it."

Other park visitors echoed that concern, with dogwalkers, cyclists and parents saying the fees could discourage people from coming to the park. The reaction reflects a broader anxiety about the cost of everyday life in San Francisco and about whether public green space remains accessible to residents across income levels.

The plan also raises questions about how the revenue will be used and whether the benefits will reach the communities that rely on the park most. City officials have tied the money to maintenance backlogs and recreation programs, but critics say the burden falls on people who already face rising prices.

The fees take effect Jan. 1. Drivers will encounter the new kiosks and app-based payment options as the park moves from free parking to a paid system for the first time.