Mayor Robert Garcia cuts the ribbon to officially reopen the Cherry Park playground with funding from Measure A on Saturday, July 24, 2021.
Families with their children came to Cherry Park on a warm Saturday morning to see Mayor Robert Garcia cut the ribbon officially reopening a renovated playground with funds from Measure A.
Voters passed Measure A, a 10-year sales tax increase, in 2016.
$400,000 of the funds went towards the park’s renovation, including the installation of new playground equipment, rubber flooring and signs that indicate which areas are appropriate for children based on age. Additionally, the City installed infrastructure to increase accessibility for people living with disabilities.
“I just want to thank the voters of Long Beach,” Garcia said. “This is now the ninth playground that’s been completely renovated this way because of Measure A across the city, and there’s more on the way.”
Along with the mayor was Long Beach District 7 Councilmember Roberto Uranga. The park falls under his district and he told the attendees that renovating the park was highly requested by his constituents.
“The community came out and said, ‘What are you gonna do about our park?’ I said, ‘Well, what do you need?’ ‘Well, we need a new playground guide.’ ‘You got it.’ ‘What do you need?’ ‘A good backstop for the baseball fields.’ ‘You got it,’” Uranga said.
After the speakers finished, Mayor Garica asked all of the children in attendance to help him cut the ribbon and join in on the photo op.
One long-time community member in attendance was Esther Montes, who brought her granddaughter Sofia to see the new play area.
“Coming here [to the park] is an everyday thing for my granddaughters and my daughters before them,” she said. “We have been here for 32 years … [the park] is the reason we won’t move from the area!”
