TOTLot

TOTLot

Photo by Jason Ruiz

A groundbreaking ceremony to unveil the location of a future playground called the “Tot Lot” at Loma Vista park took place Wednesday at the .14 acre strip of land just north of Drake Park.

The project–which includes the addition of a play structure with slides designed for children ages two to five, upgraded irrigation, the installation of a rubberized surface and the replacement of dead trees and other aesthetic improvements–was made possible by one-time infrastructure money. Completion of the Tot Lot is projected for early June 2014 with an estimated price tag of $116,000.

In a press release, Bob Foster spoke of the aesthetic improvement to the city and how the upgrades will benefit the toddlers that will be able to utilize it.

“Not only will this new Tot Lot be pure paradise for children, it will help them and their families on the road to a healthy, active lifestyle,” Foster said. “Park improvements help make Long Beach a more appealing city.”

The recreation area, which opened in September 2005, came from land provided by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District for a mini-park. It currently consists of a lawn area, trees and a custom decorated bench that was designed by artist Steve Elicker and students from nearby Edison Elementary School.

The Loma Vista Tot Lot is located at 1173 Loma Vista Ave.

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Jason Ruiz covers City Hall and politics for the Long Beach Post. Reach him at [email protected] or @JasonRuiz_LB on Twitter.