A press conference was held in Admiral Kidd Park on Thursday, Oct. 7 to discuss ongoing plans to rebuild its playground, which burned down in July.
“I think whenever there’s a loss such as this, there’s a tremendous opportunity to bring something back to the community in even better form,” said Brent Dennis, director of the Parks, Recreation, and Marine Department.
According to Dennis, fewer children are coming to the park since the playground burnt down on July 18.
Trinka Rowsell, executive director of Partners of Parks, told the crowd that by relying on small grassroots donations, the proposed playground represents an opportunity for the community to build something together.
“While one angel funder would be a miracle, it would also be a tremendous missed opportunity,” Rowsell said. “A missed opportunity to engage our entire community, individuals, corporations, foundations, everyone, to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, to celebrate when we cross the finish line together once we have met our goal.”
According to Eric Lewis of RecWest Outdoor Products, the park will keep its nautical theme, although the ship exterior will probably have some slight changes.
Among the new playground utilities will be an OmniSpin Spinner, a piece of playground equipment that is inclusive for children in wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
“[The park is] going to be even better because it’s going to provide access to kids with special needs,” Councilmember Roberto Uranga said. “And that is really awesome. That is something that I think is unique.”
A ramp will also be added so children who use wheelchairs can access the ship-shaped playground.
“In general, it makes this playground more playable and more inclusive,” Lewis said.
Security cameras in the building directly behind the playground—which were non-operational when the fire happened—are now working.
The local nonprofit Partners of Parks has set a fundraising goal of $1 million to help build the new playground.
The fundraising campaign will be held from Sept. 1 to Dec. 1, with donations accepted in $25 increments.
Different incentives are given to donors depending on how much they give, including the ability to purchase a commemorative brick with three lines of text that will be installed in the park.
“I think because this campaign is going to have a lot of grassroots opportunities for people to contribute, the greater community is going to really love this place,” Dennis said. “They’re going to have a sense of ownership, they’re going to take care of it, they’re going to watch over it, and they’re going to see that the kids that come here have the best play environment to grow up to be healthy, and really the bottom line is to have fun.”
