Sunset Park Play Trail Conceptual Plan Approved

From LARPD: At a regular meeting Wednesday night, the Board of Directors for the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District approved the conceptual plan for the Sunset Park Play Trail.

LARPD participated in a Healthy Play Funding Initiative and Training program, in partnership with PlayCore and GameTime, through the California Park and Recreation Society. The District was selected to receive up to $60,000 in matching funds to bring a pre-approved "Healthy Play Project" to the Livermore community. Livermore is one of 24 communities from California to received funding assistance. These 24 communities will also become part of a group of National Demonstration Sites highlighting the best practices in design, installation and programming.

The selected project site is Sunset Park, where a playground was recently removed to preserve a 200-year-old valley oak tree. The grant will be used to install play equipment for youth of varying ages in three locations along the park's path. The goal is for the equipment to be installed by March, with a second phase of design and construction planned for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

Also during the meeting, Assemblywoman Catharine Baker presented a resolution commemorating the District's 70th anniversary. LARPD was created by a vote of the public in 1947, and the District has been marking the anniversary in a variety of ways throughout 2017.

As part of Wednesday night's agenda, the Board held its annual organizational meeting. Directors discussed potential amendments to Ordinance No. 8, the Rules and Regulations governing conduct and use of parks and other District facilities. An amendment under consideration is aligning the City of Livermore and LARPD rules to state dogs in any District facility or park must be on a leash not to exceed 6 feet in length. A public hearing on the ordinance change will be held at the Jan. 17 Board of Directors meeting.

The Board set the meeting schedule for 2018, which includes regular Board meetings as well as dates for summer meetings in parks. Directors also considered staff's proposed revisions to the Policy Manual of the Board of Directors. Staff will review Board comments and present revisions for approval at a future meeting. A new Chair and Vice Chair were elected as Board officers for 2018 - Maryalice Faltings is the new Chair, and David Furst is the new Vice Chair.

Photos courtesy of LARPD