Beattie Park’s inclusive playground, adult fitness area to be unveiled this month
The completed installation of Lompoc’s Beattie Park’s playground and fitness area, located off East Olive Avenue and South Fifth Street in Lompoc, is projected for an unveiling later this month, according to Lompoc city officials.
The project — considered to be the largest inclusive playground in Santa Barbara County — broke ground on Aug. 31 after the City Council in June approved a nearly $740,000 contract with Great Western Installations Inc.
The design layout will offer the community an inclusive play area for children of all ability levels, as well as an adult fitness section.
“This new Beattie Park playground and fitness area belongs to the Lompoc community,” said recreation manager Mario Guerrero Jr., “and it’s important that we were able to incorporate the elements most important to those who will be using this recreation area.”
A portion of the playground area for ages 2 to 5, according to the announcement, has multiple slides and climbers. The overall playground area has an “inclusive whirl” accessible to a child in a mobility device, as well as an arch disk swing, and other swings for various age groups. The playground will showcase a lookout tower and an inclusive play space with ramps leading up to multilevel structures.
Part of the play structure also will feature a sensory wave climber accessible to children with disabilities, along with sensory panels, a roller slide and spiral tower slides.
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Lompoc’s Beattie Park to feature county’s largest ‘inclusive’ kids playground, plus adult fitness zone
The Lompoc City Council last month approved a contract with Great Western Installations, Inc., to modernize and update the amenities at the park located at East Olive Avenue and South Fifth Street. The nearly $740,000 project will consist of the installation of several play structures specifically designed to be accessible for children with disabilities, as well as an adult fitness zone with a mix of exercise machines and workout stations.
In response to input from an online community survey in April that garnered 645 responses, according to city staff, the playground design that was selected incorporates a number of additional park features including a gazebo with picnic tables, a barbecue pit, concrete pingpong tables and concrete tables with checkerboard tops.
Set within the adult fitness zone will be a “Thrive 900” area, featuring a mix of exercise machines and workout stations with elements for strength training, cardio and core workouts.
“We worked to make this playground and fitness area as accessible to all abilities as possible,” Guerrero said. “We look forward to welcoming our community to this beautiful and inclusive new playground and fitness area in Lompoc.”
The project was funded through Proposition 68 and a Community Development Block Grant.
Friends of the Lompoc Library taking board member nominations through Oct. 21
Voting will take place via email on Oct. 28.
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Ocean Beach Park estuary to reopen for public recreation in October
Accessing the estuary near Ocean Beach Park has been restricted to the public for as long as many Lompoc residents can remember but will reopen to water recreation activities for the first time in decades next month.
Lisa André covers local news and lifestyles for Santa Ynez Valley News.
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