Saratoga's Beauchamps Park to get accessibility makeover
The $300,000 redesign project replaces out-of-date equipment
Beauchamps Park will soon get a new, inclusive playground with ADA-accessible features.
The Saratoga City Council on June 15 unanimously approved nearly $300,000 for the playground replacement project that will add inclusive elements to the park, located at 15138 Beauchamps Lane.
The 30-year-old park has outdated equipment and lacks fully accessible features, staff said. This project will bring in more seating and shade umbrellas, a ramp and an additional swing set, and resurface the tennis and basketball courts.
“We have, as a city, started a chapter where we are supporting all abilities and providing support for everyone. Not enough can be said about that,” Mayor Tina Walia said.
The City Council requested last year that the Parks and Recreation Commission scope out inclusive playground equipment and gather neighborhood input to be compliant with the city's Inclusive Playground Policy.
“I know it's a policy, but I am hoping that it will continue with future councils, that it will be something that is … included with every consideration for updating any playground in the future,” Councilmember MaryLynne Bernald said of the policy, which sets a local standard for ADA compliance at public parks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four Americans have some sort of disability, and about 13% of adults have mobility-related disabilities.
Census data shows nearly 3 million children in the United States have disabilities, totaling 4.3% of the under-18 population.
The city funded $45,210 of the project's budget, including $4,000 raised by the youth commission. The remaining $200,841 came from grants and other funding sources.
A handful of neighbors who live near the park said they were concerned about the height of the new play structure, and staff later lowered part of it.
The final design from Specified Play Equipment Company (SPEC) was approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission at its May 10 meeting.
The City Council also finalized its plan to use its $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to improve stormwater drains and the sewage system in Saratoga.