Park Accessibility and Recycling Grant Program

This program is no longer being funded.

This grant program was established to assist districts in using recycled-content materials to upgrade the state's public playgrounds. The upgrades are needed to meet State accessibility requirements and satisfy the California Department of Health Services' (DHS) playground safety regulations. Additionally, the use of recycled-content materials will help conserve resources and develop markets for these materials.

• Project Background
• First Cycle
• Second Cycle

Project Background

As proposed by Assembly Bill 18 (Villaraigosa) and Senate Bill 1147 (Keeley), the voters of California approved the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air, and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000 (Villaraigosa-Keeley Act).  The Villaraigosa-Keeley Act has authorized the Integrated Waste Management Board to administer a grant program to upgrade public playgrounds using recycled-content materials and to assist in meeting state and federal accessibility standards relating to public playgrounds (Public Resource Code Section 5096.310 (x)).

Definitions

"Playground" means an improved outdoor area designed, equipped, and set aside for children's play that is not intended for use as an athletic playing field or athletic court, and includes in that area such facilities as play equipment, surfacing, fencing, signs, internal pathways, internal land forms, vegetation, and related structures.

"District" means:

• Any regional park district, regional park and open-space district, or regional open-space district formed pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 5500) of Chapter 3,
• Any recreation and park district formed pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 5780), or an authority formed pursuant to Division 26 (commencing with Section 35100).
• With respect to any community of an unincorporated region that is not included within a district, and in which no city or county provides parks or recreational areas or facilities, "district" also means any other district that is authorized by statute to operate and manage parks or recreational areas or facilities, employs a full-time park and recreation director, offers year-round park and recreation services on lands and facilities owned by the district, and allocates a substantial portion of its annual operating budget to parks or recreation areas or facilities (PRC Section 5096.308 (e)).

"Facility" means equipment or materials that facilitate children's play that is in or adjacent to a playground, such as a drinking fountain, picnic table or picnic area, or a shelter.

Playground Inspections

To obtain a list of certified playground inspectors, check our playground safety inspection resource list. A complete listing of playground inspectors is available through the National Recreation and Park Association or California Parks and Recreation Society.

First Cycle (FY 2000-01)

The first grant cycle is closed. Grants were awarded in May 2001. (See our press release with the list of grantees.) The following materials are available for information only.

Note to Grantees: For electronic versions of the required signage (in Adobe PDF and Postscript formats) please visit the Resources Agency's Park Bond site.

Notice of Funds Available

Sample High-Scoring Grant Applications

• Beaumont-Cherry Valley: Noble Creek Regional Park (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 3.6 MB)
• City of Fresno: Holmes Playground (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 3.7 MB)
• City of Yreka: Lower Greenhorn Reservoir (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 4.3 MB)

Second Cycle (FY 2001-02)

The second grant cycle is closed. The following materials are available for information only.

Notice of Funds Available

Last updated: November 01, 2007