REPORT TO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Concept of Constructing an Inclusive Playground at Fair Oaks Park and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement Between Magical Bridge Foundation and the City of Sunnyvale for Design and Construction Services Related to the Playground.
Report
BACKGROUND
A Sunnyvale resident approached City Council on September 13, 2016, and the Parks and Recreation Commission on October 12, 2016, with a petition from 287 residents about the possibility of constructing an inclusive playground in Sunnyvale. The intent was for this playground to be similar to the Magical Bridge Playground located at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto. The Magical Bridge Playground is a play area designed to address the complex needs of the entire population living with and without disabilities (physical and cognitive). The U.S. Census of 2010 cites nearly 25.4 million families have at least one member with a disability. Both City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission discussed this concept, and although no formal action was taken, expressed general support for exploring it.
Staff visited the current all-inclusive playground in Palo Alto, and was impressed with the variety of improvements, the level of activity, and the opportunity to provide for an underserved population. It was determined that this could be a significant asset to the Sunnyvale park system, and staff moved forward with exploring an opportunity near-term location within Sunnyvale. It was anticipated that the inclusive playground would require at least one acre so staff examined future capital projects that involved park renovations. Fair Oaks Park was selected due to location within the City (Location Map - Attachment 2), renovation schedule, and acreage. An update was provided to the City Council as part of the November 14, 2016 City Manager Bi-Weekly Report with the following information:
Parks to Consider All-Inclusive Playground - As part of the u...
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