CityofGoleta
By the City of Goleta
A universal playground is in the City of Goleta’s future thanks in large part to two local legislators. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a budget bill yesterday, July 10, 2023, which includes providing $750,000 in State funding to go towards the City’s first inclusive playground to be located at the historic Stow Grove Park. Assemblymember Gregg Hart and Senator Monique Limón requested the funding after meeting with Mayor Paula Perotte, City Councilmembers Stuart Kasdin and James Kyriaco, and City staff at the League of California Cities City Leaders Summit in Sacramento in April 2023. While the design for the playground is yet to begin, the community can expect a park that serves the ‘whole child’ – physical, social/emotional, sensory, cognitive and communication.
Assemblymember Gregg Hart said, “We are very fortunate to have high quality parks and open spaces in our community. I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues to secure funding for the Stow Grove Park playground project. Once built, this new playground will be enjoyed by our local youth and families for many years to come.”
“I am grateful that Assemblymember Gregg Hart championed this funding in the Assembly for this community project,” said Senator Monique Limón. “Investing in our recreational and open spaces is an important step to ensuring all of our community members have places to enjoy the beauty of our district.”
City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We can’t wait to see children of all abilities playing together and enjoying this beautiful historic park that is a treasured location in our City. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Assemblymember Hart and Senator Limón for prioritizing funding for this project and recognizing the importance of providing a safe, fun place for all children to play and develop new skills.”
The playground is part of a larger plan to revamp Stow Grove Park which has been a public park since 1920 and was deeded to the County in 1964. The City of Goleta assumed ownership of the park from the County of Santa Barbara upon incorporation in 2002. The Stow Grove Park Master Plan is currently going through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. Once that is complete, the Draft Initial Study – Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND) will be made available for review. As soon as the IS-MND is final and adopted, the project will move into the design phase, including the design of the universal playground.
The park currently has a variety of play features, in three different spaces. The City’s Stow Grove Park Draft Master Plan combines these three separate spaces into one large play space that will be able to accommodate a variety of play elements. Fundamentally, inclusively designed play environments are a statement about a community’s social values and every child’s right to play. The goal is to innovate play experiences and provide quality outdoor play for people of all ages and abilities which develop the whole child, the whole environment, and ultimately, benefit the whole community.
Stay tuned for updates as plans for the inclusive playground are developed. For more information on the Stow Grove Master Plan visit our website here. For questions, contact our Parks and Recreation Manager JoAnne Plummer at jplummer@cityofgoleta.org.
We can’t wait to have this important resource available in our community.
Sweet!
After reading this I still don’t understand what exactly what an “inclusive” playground is.
How do you not understand the playground is for children with physical disabilities? Have you ever been to a playground before?
FERNALD – it’s a playground that can be enjoyed by all, regardless of capability. In other words, kids with disabilities can also play on and enjoy the structures.
Wheelchair Ramps & access to the slides?
Paved surfaces, instead of the rubber floors?
Still unsure what “access to all levels means.”
These, and other items. Google is your friend here. Swings that are wider with seatbelt/ straps, play structures that are on the ground level for children in wheelchairs, etc.
Republicans hate DEI — diversity, equity, and inclusion — and are trying to kill it everywhere they can.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republicans-anti-diversity-bills_n_64383d3ce4b05765f3812d60
MARCELK – I often wonder why this seems to be the case. Why? What benefit to they derive from preventing inclusion of people other than themselves? I can’t help to think it’s a matter of “being told what to do.” They hate that. I think it’s also why they don’t want to believe that humans have anything to do with the environment or climate change. To admit that would require them to *have* to do something extra. To think of others. Nope, not having that.
Any conservatives care to enlighten us as to why the right appears to be so opposed to inclusion and diversity measures?
SACJON, I am not a right winger. I think of myself as progressive but not necessarily a Democrat. It is not hard for me to think of why some feel DEI measures are problematic. (Note I do not agree with them in the final analysis): First they suspect that the cost of these projects is excessive to the benefit and that the cost of these projects is taking from things that are needed or beneficial to them. Second they worry that they are not included in decisions about where tax money goes and, in fact the decisions are being made by “others” who have insider status. Third, they think the expenditures is being made for political reasons, e.g., to buy votes from otherwise uninformed voters. And so forth. These views are actually made more credible by the announcements that brag about them. It can seem that the resources of the political establishment are centered on these special interest groups. Sort of like the left being upset about conservatives who get money from, and patronized, rich folks’ events and media.
9:56 – thank you for the interesting perspective. Seems much of the “opposition” to DEI is based on uninformed thinking it seems. No one will ever agree where their tax dollars are spent. I hate seeing mine go to fund weapons of mass destruction and other things I don’t agree with. Problem is, that’s how our society works. I have to wonder though still, how could anyone be opposed or outraged by money being spent on making things accessible to all, despite their physical capabilities, race, gender, etc?
Sac–one simple answer; scapegoating.
The biggest issue is equity. This is not a nation built on equal outcomes but equal opportunities. Always will be and always should be.
I like your last phrase — it recognizes that we’re not there yet.