SEAL BEACH : New Playground Is State-of-the-Art

When a group of residents set out to design a new playground for Marina Park, they soon decided that the customary gray swing set and slide just wouldn’t do.

They settled on a striking, state-of-the-art playground resembling a castle, made of wood and colorful plastics.

When completed later this year, the playground will include an unusual assortment of rides designed to accommodate the varied tastes and interests of children. It will also be accessible to disabled people, as is mandated by the Americans With Disabilities Act.

“This will be a dynamic place for kids--a multi-sensory experience with wood, plastic and metal,” said Tina Stevenson, who heads a committee of volunteers who helped design the $38,000 playground.

“When you look around at other playgrounds, nothing yells ‘Come play with me!’ like this one does,” Stevenson said.

The play structure consists of 12 “attractions” ranging from a “cargo net” that children can jump on to a “clatter bridge” that lives up to its name when people walk across it.

Other attractions include a clear plastic bubble that children can look through and a yellow spiral slide.

Stevenson said the playground is designed to provide fun for both active children and shyer ones. It includes a long “talk tube” pipe that allows people on opposite sides of the playground to communicate with each other.

“You have more active areas for more dramatic play . . . and less active areas,” she said.

The wood structure was selected in part because the natural fir look matches the park’s picnic tables and trees.

The playground is being financed with city funds as well as donations.

Stevenson and other volunteers also hope to repair some doors at the park’s community center.