Submitted by Lopez Community Land Trust

Lopez Community Land Trust is partnering on an important new project — the Neighborhood Playground Renovation.

After multiple interviews and several site walkthroughs with Project Managers Oliver Rick, 10, and Ayla Rick, 8, LCLT’s Sandy Bishop was selected as pro-bono consultant and developer.

“We chose her because she is really dedicated to this place,” Oliver shared.

“Also, she was right next door!” elaborated Ayla.

Lopez youth are remarkable. They are strong stakeholders in our community with exciting ideas about how to make Lopez a safe, fun place for kids. So when a group of pre-teens who live in LCLT’s Common Ground, Salish Way and Tierra Verde neighborhoods banded together to organize a renovation of their shared playground, it was destined to be awesome. The youth team conducted a walkthrough with LCLT staff to evaluate equipment upgrades and landscaping schemes that would incorporate trees and plants into a new grassy area, the project will build a fence between the play space and the existing parking area and add some new play equipment.

Bruce Botts at Vitas organized a Silly Hat party in February raising $1,900 towards the project. LCLT made a deal that we would help the kids raise the remaining funds as long as they complete project planning and contribute sweat equity. They have taken the lead in project planning and have organized parties to rake and pick rocks. The new enhanced play space will enable Lopez kids to accomplish a task that will encourage outdoor recreation (step away from those screens), learn project management skills and contribute to the community.