Public Works

El Dorado Park Universal Playground

Additional project updates and information will be published on an on-going basis.

The City of Long Beach invites the community to participate in a survey to help shape Long Beach’s first universal playground at El Dorado Park West, designed to serve children with disabilities, neurodivergent children, and their caregivers. Your input is essential to create a concept design that reflects the needs and priorities of Long Beach communities.

Project Survey

Share your input by June 30, 2025, by filling out this survey. The survey is also available in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog. An update will be shared once the survey closes.

The community is also invited to learn more about the project, where there will be an interactive opportunity to share feedback on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Bridge Room at the Dr. Thomas J. Clark Community Center, located at 2800 N. Studebaker Road.

Interpretation services in Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog, as well as American Sign Language (ASL), and live captioning will be available.

Click here for event flier.

Background

The El Dorado Park Universal Playground project will transform the existing children’s play area into a universally inclusive, accessible and engaging recreational space for visitors of varying needs and abilities. Universal playgrounds are designed to cater to a wide range of abilities, offering more than just accessibility standards. Such spaces are created to support children with different physical, sensory, cognitive and emotional needs. Inclusive play fosters healthy development and deepens connections between children and families by creating shared experiences, promoting shared joy and cultivating empathy. These spaces also allow caregivers of individuals with varying abilities to engage fully in outdoor activities alongside their loved ones.

The design of this project draws inspiration from nature with additional elements of exploration to ensure that children of various abilities can enjoy a safe and stimulating environment.

This project is part of the Elevate ’28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, a historic initiative dedicated to enhancing Long Beach parks, community facilities, mobility access, and streets. Learn more at lbelevate28.com.

For more information on all improvements at El Dorado Regional Park, click here.

Timeline

The construction timeline is set barring unforeseen weather changes or other circumstances.

Objectives

• Improve outdoor recreational access
• Extend useful life of a current city asset
• Enhance visitor experience

Proposed Features

• Inclusive play elements
• ADA pathway improvements
• Parking lot enhancements
• Drought-tolerant landscaping
• Restroom and surrounding pathway upgrades
• New picnic tables, seating areas and wayfinding signage
• Community-driven design

Project Funding

An Elevate ‘28 project, the El Dorado Park Universal Playground is funded with $700,000 in Measure A funding, $300,000 in Measure A Bond funding and $100,000 from the City’s general fund. Additional potential funding sources are under consideration and not yet confirmed.

More Information

Learn more about other projects at El Dorado Park at longbeach.gov/eldoprojects.