The Recreation and Parks Commission at its Aug. 26 meeting heard updates on the La Cienega Park Playground Improvements Project and several other ongoing projects, such as the Pickleball Pilot Program.
City architect Mandana Motahari provided an overview of the projected development of the La Cienega Park playground, including the design, amenities and selection for the equipment. The team conducted robust outreach and incorporated community feedback in the playground’s conceptual design.
Mark Tessier Landscape Architecture, who is working on the playground improvement, said that its current equipment dates back to the 1980s. The La Cienega Park playground is the only one of its kind in the city with sand surfaces, which they wish to upgrade to a more “modern-day safety surface” for the planned equipment and activities.
The northern portion of the playground is intended for children two to five years old, while the southern portion is reserved for five- to 12-year-olds. The portion intended for younger children will include a mountaineering system, which includes structures like a climbing net, membrane climber, xylophone, funnel and curly climber. Springers, swing sets, climbing mounds and an elemental forest will also be added. The southern portion similarly includes swing sets, climbing mounds and an elemental forest, as well as structures intended for older children such as a Jacob’s Ladder, curved slide, banister bars, hammock and somersault bar.
Tessier explained they are “working with manufacturers to make sure we create the most optimal safe environment while still maximizing how much play value we can get within the existing confines of the sand that exists today.”
Four different ways of providing shade at the playground are also included in its design, such as fabric canopies, canopies attached over play equipment, trees along the perimeter and floating discs for more passive activities in the center.
“I think the design is really whimsical and very exciting for our city as a whole, because even though it’s really going to serve residents on the east part of the city, you’ll find that everyone in the city is going to hear about this new park, and they’re going to be going over there,” said Commissioner Amie Sherry.
Motahari said they expect to bid the project by the end of November or early December, which will take nearly a month to do. They anticipate construction to then start in March or April, which will last approximately four to six months.
The commission then moved on to discussing updates to the Pickleball Pilot Program, which was advanced by City Council on Aug. 5 after it agreed to move forward with the liaison’s recommendation to convert certain tennis courts at La Cienega Tennis Center and Roxbury Park to pickleball courts.
Recreation Services Manager predicts that resurfacing of the courts will likely begin towards the middle of September, with the full project concluding by the end of October. Resurfacing will begin at La Cienega Tennis Center, which will likely be closed for two to three days in October. Then resurfacing will begin at Roxbury, whose entire facility will be closed at once.
Several public comments were made about the noisy impact of pickleball and its incompatibility with tennis in the same space, which has been a large point of contention since the program’s inception. Commissioners assured that noise studies have been conducted, which is why Court 1 will be reverted to a tennis court at La Cienega Tennis Center.
Other updates were provided on the digital display and signage at La Cienega Park and Roxbury Memorial Park, and a recap of the “Parks Make Life Better” activities from July, a statewide initiative promoting the benefits of parks and recreational activities for all ages.
