New playground at East La Loma Park drawing lots of families
The new playground at Modesto’s East La Loma Park has been open a couple of weeks but it already has proved popular with families.
More than three dozen children, parents, grandparents and other family members gathered Thursday afternoon at the playground. The adults sat on benches or blankets on the grass and watched their children play. Many of the visitors appeared to practice physical distancing.
Modesto resident Issac Rivera said his 8-year-old and 11-year-old children now like coming to the park. Rivera said the new playground is in a better spot — near the gazebo and parking lot — than the old one, making it easier for parents to keep an eye on their kids.
Rivera said the new playground also is drawing lots of families, which has driven away the drug users and others who misuse the park.
“It’s good,” he said. “You can see them (the children) now. It’s a really nice playground. They (his children) are eager to come out now.”
Modesto removed the old playground in 2017 because the aging equipment was a safety hazard, according to a city news release. The city did not readily have the funding for a new playground.
But the La Loma Neighborhood Association worked with the city through its Park Partners Program for a new one. The news release states the neighborhood group raised $55,000 to buy and install playground equipment and $35,000 in in-kind donations from volunteers and local companies, including Save Mart CARES Foundation and George Reed, Inc.
Modesto contributed $110,000 for the playground in design work, equipment, construction and inspections, according to the news release. And other local businesses contributed toward the project.
This story was originally published March 6, 2021 at 7:01 AM.
