Long Beach could potentially have a new community park — for which the city’s local Teamsters union is advocating.
During last week’s City Council meeting, Long Beach leaders requested that staffers look into the feasibility and process of turning a city-owned parcel near the Long Beach Airport into a community park that would be accessible to children and adults of all abilities, with the support of Teamsters Local No. 848.
The parcel is about 4 acres and is between 2301 and 2322 Cover Street, directly east of the Teamster’s parking lot, and has been vacant for years, officials said.
“Representatives of the Teamsters,” Fifth District Councilmember Megan Kerr said during the Tuesday, April 21, meeting, “have expressed interest in sponsoring and partnering on a potential community park activation concept, referred to as a ‘Playground with No Bounds.’”
Long Beach’s Teamsters Local 848 wants to partner with the city to build a community park in the city-owned parcel, located between 2301 and 2322 Cover Street, directly east to the union building’s parking lot. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach’s Teamsters Local 848 wants to partner with the city to build a community park in the city-owned parcel, located between 2301 and 2322 Cover Street, directly east to the union building’s parking lot. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach’s Teamsters Local 848 wants to partner with the city to build a community park in the city-owned parcel, located between 2301 and 2322 Cover Street, directly east to the union building’s parking lot. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Show Caption
1 of 3
Long Beach’s Teamsters Local 848 wants to partner with the city to build a community park in the city-owned parcel, located between 2301 and 2322 Cover Street, directly east to the union building’s parking lot. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The goal of “Playground with No Bounds” is to support inclusive recreation by creating an all-abilities playground designed to serve children with disabilities and their families, according to a staff report. That would include design features that benefit both children and adults of all abilities, such as rubberized ground cover; wheelchair accessible, multiplay equipment; roller slides; ramps instead of stairs; ground-level play areas; calm spaces; and accessible, easy-to-understand signage.
Ensuring that play spaces are accessible and welcoming to all individuals of physical and cognitive abilities aligns with the city’s goals of expanding equity, accessibility and community wellness while delivering meaningful public benefits, officials said.
As Long Beach continues to prioritize equitable access to open space and recreational opportunities for all residents, Kerr said, “looking for underutilized city-owned areas, such as this parcel, could be part of those efforts.”
In many urban areas of the city, particularly near transportation and industrial corridors, access to publicly available parkland remains limited, according to the staff report, and exploring a community-serving park at this location presents an opportunity to expand recreation space.
City staffers would have to see if the potential park is possible, since the location is near the Long Beach Airport, and there may be legal and/or safety challenges preventing the lot from being used as a recreational space, Kerr added.
Teamsters representatives attended Tuesday’s council meeting to show their support and interest in sponsoring and participating in the potential community park.
“It sits next door to our property in Long Beach, and we want to be able to expand into it,” said Eric Tate, secretary-treasurer for the union, “to (make) a park for the community, as our way of giving back to the city that we’ve been a part of for so many years.”
In addition to opening up the space for children of all abilities to play, the Teamsters also want to make it an opportunity for adults with disabilities to be encouraged to work with the union.
“When we say no bounds,” Tate said, “no bounds on anybody.”
City staffers will return to the council with a review for the potential community park within 120 days, according to the staff report. The review will include evaluations on regulatory, land-use and airport safety constraints that may affect the site, and evaluations on community benefits, public access value, maintenance costs and responsibilities, among other details.