TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a right of entry permit with Partners of Parks, a non-profit organization, to allow access to construct a playground at 14th Street Park on September 22, 2006. (District 1)
DISCUSSION
Partners of Parks recently submitted a grant application to KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C., to replace the old play equipment at 14th Street Park. KaBOOM!, whose mission is to provide a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, teams up with their national funding partners and local community organizations to build playgrounds. These playgrounds are community built, as KaBOOM! believes that the experience of organizing and creating a community-built playspace is as important as the play space itself. As such, they partner with community organizations instead of with public agencies. The local
community will be involved in the planning and organization of the build day activity, as well as the actual construction of the playground. Attached are two examples of playgrounds built by KaBOOM (see Attachment A and Attachment B). The playground at 14th Street Park is well used as a part of the Kid Zone of the park, but the equipment is among the oldest in the City of Long Beach. There are over 10,000 children within a half-mile radius of 14th Street Park who have easy access to only this playground. New play equipment at this location will provide a safe, exciting, and
interesting place to play in the Washington School neighborhood of 14th Street Park. The community-built playground will be a collaboration between Partners of Parks, the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, the Department of Community Development, and the neighborhood organizations surrounding 14th Street Park. One of the requirements of the KaBOOM! grant application is that the community partner (Partners of Parks) must demonstrate they have ownership of the property where the playground is to be constructed or authority from the property owner (City of Long Beach) to build a playground at the site. An agreement between the City of Long Beach and Partners of Parks is required to authorize the construction of the playground on City property. If approved, the agreement would include the following terms:
Location: Existing playground at 14th Street Park, ,mated at the westerly end of the park (see Attachment C). Term: One community build day on September 22,2006. Volunteers: All volunteers organized by Partners of Parks shall complete City of Long Beach volunteer applications and sign City of Long Beach Volunteer Waiver forms, as required by the City's Risk Manager. Play Equipment and Play Surfacing: All material and equipment for the playground shall be approved by the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine prior to the community build day. Maintenance: Upon completion of the new playground, the City of Long Beach, Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine will maintain the playground and equipment. This matter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna F. Gwin and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on July 31,2006.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on August 8, 2006, to enable the KaBOOM! community build day to occur at 14th Street,Park on September 22, 2006.
FISCAL IMPACT
[Fiscal Impact]
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
NAME |
APPROVED: |
TITLE |
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GERALD R. MILLER |
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CITY MANAGER |