Dozens of volunteers build new playground at Anaheim park in under a day

Volunteers got together in Anaheim this week to build the city’s newest playground; they did it all in a day.

The City of Anaheim partnered with the national nonprofit Kaboom! to build a new community playground at Little People’s Park on West Elm Street.

Not only did members of the community dedicate their time to build and assemble the playground structures, but city officials say the playground was designed by local children.

It features a zip-line, two slides, swings, a climbing wall, drums and chimes, as well as an educational panel where kids and explore and learn the alphabet in sign language.

“The kids designed this playground and then their kids might end up playing on it,” said Michael Weigand, project manager for Kaboom! “This playground is going to be here for decades for the families.”

It’s the 17th playground that Kaboom! has helped build in Anaheim. Other recent projects took place at Peter Marshall Park, Center Greens, Cottonwood Park and Pearson Park.

Little People’s Park is one of the most historically significant public spaces in the city of Anaheim.

It was the site of a violent riot in 1978 involving Anaheim police and a group of Latino residents which, according to the Los Angeles Times, “led to accusations of police brutality and a series of reforms.”

City officials say that conflict helped bring about “improved ties between police and the neighborhood’s Mexican American community.”

Chicano culture is celebrated today with a vibrant 300-foot mural inspired by Mexican folk art that was painted last fall on the park grounds.

Another famous mural, “Memories of the Past, Images of the Present,” is located across the street from the park. That mural was painted by Southern California Chicano muralist Emigdio Vasquez following the 1978 riot and features images of Cesar Chavez and other scenes from Chicano history.

Kaboom! is currently in the middle of a five-year campaign to “end play space inequity” in 25 municipalities. Communities of color are among those hardest impacted by a lack of safe and modern activity spaces, often stemming from systemic racism and exclusionary practices, the nonprofit says.

Anaheim has partnered with other organizations in the past to fund similar projects, including the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and Disney.

More than 100 of the volunteers who lended their time on Thursday were employees of CarMax, which helped fund the playground project and presented the Anaheim Family YMCA with a $5,000 grant during the build.

“The CarMax Foundation is honored to provide funding for the new playground through our $3.9 million partnership with Kaboom,” said Jeff Hall, president of the CarMax Foundation. “Our hope is that this space ensures that every child has access to the invaluable physical, social, and mental health benefits that a community playground offers.”

Officials said the city is grateful for these past and present project partners, and it will continue look for opportunities to bring more play spaces to Anaheim neighborhoods whenever possible.

The new playground at Little People’s Park will open to the public “in the coming days,” officials said.

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