PRESS RELEASE

     
Above: Photos of the new nautical themed playground at Admiral Kidd Park.

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach invites the public to attend a grand opening ceremony for the new Admiral Kidd Park Playground (2125 Santa Fe Ave.) taking place on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, at 11 a.m.

“We are thrilled to open this new playground for residents of our West Long Beach community to enjoy,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “The sudden loss of the former playground hit this community hard. With the support from Partners of Parks and our many donors, the new playground is now complete and ready for fun. We invite families and residents to come out and celebrate the grand opening with us!”

After a fire destroyed the former playground in July 2021, Partners of Parks (POP), a Long Beach based nonprofit, launched a fundraising campaign to help rebuild the playground, which broke ground in March 2023. Through the additional support of $1.98 million from Measure A infrastructure funding and grant funding, the playground will now be open for the public to enjoy.

“This new playground will bring a lot of joy back to our community,” said Seventh District Councilmember Roberto Uranga. “Admiral Kidd Park plays a pivotal role in providing safe, family-friendly recreational fun for our residents. I thank my City colleagues, Partners of Parks, and the many donors for making this new playground a reality.”

The Admiral Kidd Park Playground now features a brand-new nautical-themed children's play area with enhancements such as a new zip-line feature, friendship (multi-user) swings, harness swings, an all-inclusive multi-user “SwayFun” feature, an accessible path to the playground, and a donor recognition program. Additional safety elements include shade structures and upgrades to the existing lighting surrounding the walking paths around the park playground. The new playground will provide the community with enhanced recreational opportunities and serve as a place for gatherings and outdoor play.

Approximately $486,000 was raised by POP with financial support from eight sponsors, with top sponsors including Marathon Petroleum’s Los Angeles Refinery and Amazon.com Services LLC, to support the rebuild and enhancements of this important community asset.

“Partners of Parks is excited to celebrate this amazing new accessible space for children and families to enjoy,” said Trinka Rowsell, Partners of Parks Executive Director. “We are thankful for the opportunity to bring the community together to raise the needed funds to build the playground back better than it was before.”

“The reopening of this playground has resulted in smiles on the faces of both youth and adults in this community,” said CP Patsatzis, Vice President of Refining at Marathon Petroleum’s Los Angeles Refinery. “For area children, this provides them a needed place to play and learn while doing so. For adults – whether local parents or partners in making this restoration project come to fruition, we’re smiling because this is what good looks like – a community coming together to bring back, and better, a valued place in the city of Long Beach.”

“Amazon is proud to have answered the call when Long Beach’s children were in need, and as a part of this community we are inspired that the result isn’t just a rebuilt playground, but one that is better than before,” said Marie Lloyd, Amazon’s Head of Community Affairs.

The Admiral Kidd Park playground was made possible by the additional sponsorships from the New L Family Fund, Long Beach Economic Partnership, Junior League of Long Beach, Earl B. and the Loraine H. Miller Foundation, Port of Long Beach, and Bess J Hodges Foundation.

More information about the Admiral Kidd Park Playground Project is available at longbeach.gov/akpp.

About the City of Long Beach 
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Department of Public Works, visit longbeach.gov/pw/ and follow on Facebook,  Twitter and Instagram. For more information about the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, visit LBParks.org and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.