Trust for Public Land and Valley in Motion seek district help to close $96,500 funding gap for Whittier playground

Nonprofit partners updating the board on the Community Schoolyards initiative said on March 2 that fundraising has produced roughly $700,000 toward new playgrounds that will be public after school hours.

Gus Fehee, who represents Valley in Motion and the partnership with Trust for Public Land, described the Kennedy Elementary schoolyard pilot and subsequent fundraising work. "We finished one and we're sort of looking at where the results are," Fehee said, noting student-designed features and community access as program hallmarks.

Administration reported that about $560,000 of the funds are committed to construction and that architects now estimate the project at John Whittier is approximately $96,500 short of the students' full design. With that shortfall, the board was asked to authorize a district commitment not to exceed $96,500 if fundraising stalls.

Board members approved a motion authorizing a limited district commitment while Trust for Public Land continues private fundraising. Officials emphasized that the district's role would be maintenance and potential gap-filling rather than primary fundraising. "If we wanted to kind of create it as the students designed...they were asking if the district would consider a not to exceed potentially effort...to possibly fill that gap," administration said.

Next steps: Trust for Public Land will continue raising private funds and will return with final bids and any request for district funding within the authorized not-to-exceed figure.