ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA – The City of Arroyo Grande is poised to break ground on a playground replacement project meeting 4 National Demonstration Site designations. With a State Grant awarded through Proposition 68, a donation from the Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande, City sales tax funds and outstanding community support, this high-quality recreation destination, that promotes physical activity for people of all ages and abilities, will break ground on September 12th, 2022 at 8 a.m. The inclusive playground, the first in the nation, is set to open November 2022.
The addition of inclusive playground elements at Elm Street Park playground was originally proposed by the Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande in 2015. In 2021, a design was proposed and accepted by the Arroyo Grande City Council to replace the entire existing playground with an inclusive playground. The inclusive playground includes evidence-based design best practices and features: the 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design, Play On elements Promoting Physical Activity, NatureGrounds elements connecting children to nature, and an Outdoor Adult Fitness Park zone.
City Manager Whitney McDonald stated, “The community support for this project has been exceptional. We are excited to bring this ‘first of its kind’ project to Arroyo Grande, and are grateful for all the community has done to make this happen.” In addition to support from the Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande, and individual community members, another local non-profit, Arroyo Grande In Bloom, assisted with the design of the NatureGrounds elements.
For more information on how to get involved, donate to this or future projects, please contact the Recreation Services Department at agrec@arroyogrande.org.
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Sheridan Bohlken, Recreation Services Director
sbohlken@arroyogrande.org