FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

WHERE?

Where is Children’s Park?

  • Children’s Park is in the unincorporated community of Isla Vista, CA that is owned and maintained by Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District (IVRPD) in partnership with the County of Santa Barbara.  

  • Children’s Park is one of 25 parks in the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District.

 

WHAT?

What will the new park include? 

Recreation features at Children’s Park will undergo renovations and additions to the park space.  

Renovations include: 

  • Renovating the Existing Recreation Building 

  • Replacing the Existing Play Structure with a Nature-Themed Playground

New park features include: 

  • An Amphitheater/Communal Gathering Area 

  • Accessible Paths

  • Public Art 

  • Demonstration Gardens 

  • Stormwater and Green Infrastructure 

  • Site Lighting  

  • Park Entry Features  

  • Accessible Parking

  • BBQ Areas with Picnic Tables  

  • Seating 

  • A Public Restroom  

  • An Open Field Area 

  • Sustainable Landscaping, Trees, Planting and Irrigation

What is the history of Children’s Park? 

  • For more information on the origins of the land that Children’s Park is located on and more recent park history, please visit the history section of our website.

WHY?

Why was Children’s Park chosen for the grant application? 

Children's park was chosen because of many reasons including the park’s renovation needs and the economic status of the surrounding population. Most of the surrounding residents are considered an underserved population and live in one the most highly densely populated areas in the State. Other qualifiers for the project included:

  • Critical Lack of Park Space

  • Economic Disadvantaged Population

  • Type of Project

  • Community Based Planning

  • Employment or Volunteer Opportunities

  • Partnerships or Committed Funding

  • Environmental Design - Sustainable Techniques

  • Community Challenges, Project Benefits, and Readiness

WHEN?

When will construction start for Children's Park?  

  • Construction is estimated to begin in spring of 2024. 

When is the Children's Park grand opening? 

  • The grand opening of Children’s Park is estimated to be in early 2025. 

When are the meetings where members of the public can give feedback on the design?  

  • Our tentative public meetings are: 

    • Public Garden Design Meeting #1: 11/9/22 

    • Public Design Charrette: 12/7/22  

    • Public Garden Design Meeting #2: 3/9/23 

    • Public Design Development Review Meeting: 3/24/23

WHO?

Who is funding the park renovations? 

  • The park renovations are funded by Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP 68). To increase park access in under-served communities throughout California, the program is focused on creating new parks and renovating and/or expanding existing ones. The program is in its 4th funding cycle and has awarded $548.3 million in this cycle across the state for parks projects. The Children's Park Renovation Project was awarded $4.2 million of that.

Who is on the project team? 

  • Our project is made up of the grantor (California State Parks & the California Natural Resources Agency), IVRPD, Community (Isla Vista Residents, UCSB, County), and the team of design subconsultants led by Pacific Coast Land Design.