The City of Arroyo Grande is thrilled to announce the ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening for the Elm Street park Playground Replacement Project on November 4th, 2022 at 4pm. With a State Grant awarded through Proposition 68, a donation from the Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande, City sales tax funds and outstanding community support, this high-quality recreation destination, that promotes physical activity for people of all ages and abilities, will be the first playground in the nation to receive 4 national demonstration site accreditations.
The addition of inclusive playground elements at Elm Street Park playground was originally proposed by the Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande Valley in 2015. In 2021, a design was proposed and accepted by the Arroyo Grande City Council to replace the entire existing playground with an inclusive playground. The inclusive playground includes evidence-based design best practices and features such as the 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design, Play On elements promoting physical activity, NatureGrounds elements connecting children to nature, and an Outdoor Adult Fitness Park zone.
City Manager Whitney McDonald stated, “The community support for this project has been exceptional. We are excited to bring this ‘first of its kind’ project to Arroyo Grande, and are grateful for all the community has done to make this happen.” In addition to support from the Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande, and individual community members, another local non-profit, Arroyo Grande In Bloom, assisted with the design of the NatureGrounds elements.
For more information on how to get involved, donate to this or future projects, please contact the Recreation Services Department at agrec@arroyogrande.org.