Aug. 30, 2007 Grunion Gazette
Businesses Support Shore Effort To Revamp Playground

By Kelly Garrison  (Reprinted with the permission of the Gazette Newspaper)
Organizers of a grassroots effort to revitalize a local playground say their cause has gained momentum in the community.

A number of businesses in the Belmont Shore area have committed to support the group’s project, which proposes to rebuild and expand the tot lot at Livingston Park. Members of the “Tot Lot Committee” (T.L.C.) say they would like to see all new equipment, landscaping and facilities installed at the site in Belmont Shore.

“Word is getting out in the business community, and they’re offering to help us,” said Captain Mike DuRee of the Long Beach Fire Department, who is heading up the committee. “People are seeing that we’re doing what we said we are going to do, and more people are coming to the table saying they’re going to help. It needed to be a community effort from the beginning, and now it’s gaining some steam.”

The group’s rally for support has raised about $28,000, but it will need another $122,000 by December to reach its goal; and local entities have noticed, DuRee said. Several corporate sponsors have committed to support and host community events throughout the fall.

The first fundraiser will be a community barbecue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the tot lot. Organizers said they plan on featuring a petting zoo at the park that day.

The following day (Sept. 16), a Longevity and Wellness Open House at SHIFT Center for Dynamic Change, 5375 E. Second St., will raise donations for the tot lot project. The open house will take place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will include free seminars on reducing stress. Call 434-3672 for reservations.

Fundraising will continue on Saturday, Sept. 29 with a “Belmont Beach Bash” at Granada Beach from 5 to 10 p.m. T.L.C. members said they are planning to have at least 200 guests at the event, which will include silent and live auctions.

“The goal is to make it available to kids in the late afternoon, but it will gear more towards adults into the evening,” Duree said. “We’re already getting silent auction items, so we’re off to a good start.”

The last of the lineup so far, a wine tasting, will give a few dozen community members a chance to socialize while contributing to the cause. Event details will be released soon, DuRee said.  “It will be an invite-only high-end wine tasting at a committee member’s house,” he said.

The group also has sold tot lot logo T-shirts on Second Street, which has brought in some money, but has mostly helped to spread the word, DuRee said.   Other community support has included proceeds from the Grunion Run as well as from BB Harris Clothing on Second Street. The business put 15% of its sales revenue the weekend of Aug.17-18 toward tot lot renovation plans.

The store also will host a fashion show at Sachi, a nightclub at the SeaPort Marina Hotel, on Friday, Oct. 5. Local firefighters will model styles from BB Harris during the show, with proceeds benefiting the tot lot.

“The money is trickling in, which is encouraging,” DuRee said. “We’re moving ahead.”  Tot lot renovation plans include doubling the playground’s size, surrounding the site with wrought iron fencing and adding more play equipment.  Building the new playground will likely cost $300,000 — half of which may come from a matching city grant. DuRee said that the committee plans to seek project approval from the Long Beach City Council at the end of this year.
 
To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.TotLotCommittee.org or send a check payable to “Hearts For Long Beach/TLC” to 5225 E. Second St., Long Beach, CA, 90803. For details, call 433-2000, ext. 119.
 

May 17, 2007 Grunion Gazette Page: 1A
Changes To Tot Lot Out In New Plan
 Harry Saltzgaver (Reprinted with the permission of the Gazette Newspaper)
 
 Third District Councilman Gary DeLong has dropped all talk of
 reconfiguring Livingston Park, instead offering constituents three
 "adjustments" to the parking lot at Livingston Drive and Nieto Avenue in a new survey. DeLong had put together a committee to study alternatives for the strip park after questions about Bay Shore Congregational Church's exclusive use of the parking lot. The group came up with five alternatives, including one that would have moved a community tot lot from the western corner of the park, replacing it with parking and eliminating the parking lot next to the church.
 
 An overflow crowd of residents packed a meeting May 7 at Lowell Elementary School, with the majority demonstrating to keep the tot lot where it is at now. Some residents accused DeLong and the committee of trying to eliminate the playground in favor of more parking for Second Street businesses.
 
 That committee included Kurt Schneiter, vice chair of the Belmont
 Shore Parking and Business Advisory Commission and a commercial property owner on Second Street. Schneiter said Tuesday that even the proposal moving the playground was designed more to improve the tot lot than to create parking.
 
 "Forget about the parking," Schneiter said. "That tot lot is a
 disaster. This was designed to improve the kids' park as well.
 
 "If they don't want it, I'm not going to put my time into it. To do a
 good job to improve that park, it's going to cost $200,000. I wanted to make that park better. Now I won't put a dime into it. People just aren't open to change."
 
 DeLong opened the May 7 meeting by passing out a survey he said he would take into account before recommending any action. By the end of the meeting, DeLong had promised to adjust the survey to include a "do nothing" option.
 
 By the end of last week, a new survey had been posted on DeLong's Web site listing three alternatives. All three deal with changing management of the Nieto parking lot and nothing else.
 
 "I listened to the community," DeLong said in explanation. "We
 removed some options and emphasized the parking lot. The community was clear they were not interested in other changes."
 
 The city entered into a revocable agreement more than 50 years ago with Bay Shore Congregational for exclusive use of the lot until a then-planned road improvement project could be completed. The use has not changed since.
 
 DeLong said he and his office were in negotiations now with church officials to repave and landscape the lot. In return, the church would retain exclusive use rights on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings and some special events. The lot would be available to the public the rest of the time.
 
 "They still have to reach agreement internally," DeLong said. "But I think we're pretty close to a deal."
 
 DeLong said he continued the survey because he still wanted to get residents' opinions about the parking lot. The survey is at
 www.longbeach.gov/district3. The new three alternatives are:
 
 1. Provide the church with exclusive use of the lot during certain
 hours and in exchange require the church to resurface the lot and
 provide limited landscaping. The lot would be available for public
 use during other hours.
 
 2. The same as alternative one, but with parking meters during
 business hours.
 
 3. Continue to provide the church with exclusive use of the lot 24/7, and require the church to resurface the lot and provide some landscaping.