The City of Long Beach this week was named a 2015 “Playful City USA,” a national designation that honors cities and towns for creating more playable, kid-friendly communities, according to city officials.
Playful City USA is sponsored by KaBOOM!, a nonprofit organization that helps communities build playgrounds for children, and the Humana Foundation.
“I’m proud that Long Beach has earned this recognition, and I want to thank our outstanding Parks, Recreation & Marine Department for all their hard work and leadership,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We are going to continue to make our city more playable every year, with new parks and playgrounds, safe streets, skate parks and an abundance of recreational opportunities.”
According to city officials, Long Beach supports play with infrastructure investments including developing 48.2 acres of new parkland since 2008 in underserved neighborhoods. Free youth sports leagues, subsidized day camps, five teen centers near high schools and after-school recreation programs at 27 parks and eight schools are part of the play opportunities for Long Beach youth the City boasts.
The City also collaborates with partners such as Long Beach Unified School District and Long Beach Community Action Partnership to maximize resources for play programs.
“Playability is crucial to the success of our future communities, and we are proud of the work these cities and leaders are doing to provide a better quality of life for all residents, and especially families,” said KaBOOM! President James Siegal. “Play provides a competitive advantage for cities looking to attract and retain residents. With these esteemed leaders, and our friends and partners across the country, we continue to prioritize play for all kids.”
To learn more about these cities, see the full list of the 241 communities named 2015 Playful City USA honorees, or to gather more information on the Playful City USA program, visit playfulcityusa.org .
Source: City of LB
