The new playground at Veterans Memorial Park officially opened last Wednesday January 17. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by members of the public as well as several city officials and Culver City Mayor Jeffrey Cooper and former Mayor Jim B. Clarke.
The new playground was funded with money from the Proposition and Maintenance and Servicing Funds. It includes a butterfly helix tower and slide as well as a Kidnetix Twirl—a climbing and spinning structure that enhances a child’s balance and coordination. The new playground is suited for children five to 12, but the adjacent playground for ages two-five is also open for play.
According to Corey Lakin, director of the Culver City Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, reaction to the new playground has been positive. “The first couple of weeks, the playground was absolutely packed. If you drive by on the weekends, it’s been slammed the last few weeks, weather permitting.”
Martin Feinberg, Culver City Realtor, was interested to learn that once the parts were delivered it only took a little more than a week to install the new equipment. The project cost $160,000.
“Anytime you’re able to upgrade and replace dated equipment, one, its beautification for the park, for the neighborhood, two, hopefully more modern equipment means safer equipment and for me playgrounds are an opportunity for kids to really use their imagination and interact with other children,” Lakin said.
Patrick Reynolds, Parks Manager/City Landscape Architect for Culver City Parks, Recreation and Community Services, first went to his park commissioner after multiple repairs were needed on the old Veterans Memorial Park playground.
“We were not happy with the number of repairs we were constantly experiencing with it,” Reynolds said. “[The playground equipment] turned out to be substandard from a durability standpoint.”
Reynolds stated that the public has been very happy with the new improvements. He said, “Everyone who has driven by here has seen nothing but kids swarming on it like kids on an anthill. They’re just all over it, which is great to see. They’re stretching the limits of what their body can do to try to figure out ways to climb on the stuff, it’s hilarious.”
The next park slated to receive new playground equipment is Blair Hills. After that it will be Tellefson Park. Reynolds plans on getting all the improvements done by the end of 2018.
Veterans Memorial Park is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Overland Avenue and Culver Boulevard. Free parking and the new playground are accessible via Culver Boulevard.
Veterans, along with Blair Hills and Tellefson, are all within the Culver City Real Estate area. Martin Feinberg, Realtor, is pleased to see community parks being so well taken care of.
For more information on the new equipment at Veterans, call the Culver City Parks and Recreation Department at (310) 253-6655.