Dream Playground Officially Opened on Play Day in San Bernardino

San Bernardino added a brand new playground for the kids throughout the community this past Saturday, Oct. 18. Starting on Aug. 28, KaBOOM And Dr. Pepper Snapple Group hosted a drawing design session for kids of the community of San Bernardino at the Home of Neighborly Services in order to implement everyone’s “Dream Playground” ideas. Then, on Oct. 15, the entire community came together along with volunteers from Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, KaBOOM, the Parks and Recreation Department, Generation Now, and many others, which made up over 200 volunteers helping build the kids’ “Dream Playground,” not mentioning the 68 kids from Mt. Vernon Elementary who stopped by while everyone was building the playground. All the students gathered to say thank you to all of those volunteering to help build their dream playground. Jorge Oheredia from the group Generation Now in San Bernardino, who volunteered from the very beginning of the project, said, “It really put everything into perspective when the kids came and said thank you. It almost brought a tear to me eye. This is their playground.” The playground officially opened to the community that following Saturday, Oct. 18, at 10 a.m. Councilmember Virginia Marquez of the 1st Ward was on of many driving forces of the project. She gave a brief speech and handed out certificates to those who were instrumental in making this playground happen. Marquez kept the program short, mentioning, “The kids… they’re very anxious; they can’t wait any longer, they want to play.” San Bernardino Mayor Carey Davis also gave a brief speech during the ceremony. He also volunteered and helped build the playground the previous Wednesday. “Wednesday was very exciting for me. I had an opportunity to put together some of the equipment… not only fun but to associate with many of you who participated and made it successful,” he said. After many certificates were presented to different groups, people, and organizations throughout the community that contributed to this project, the kids were finally able to start playing. Mt. Vernon Elementary students made a very long ribbon specifically for the opening of the playground, with the kids gathering around the playground, making a circle and holding the ribbon together. Parks and Recreation Director Mickey Valdivia started the count down from 10. All the kids chimed in on the countdown, and the second it got down to one, the kids ripped the ribbon and sprinted toward the playground. The playground is next door to the Home of Neighborly Services in San Bernardino. To finalize the project, Marquez called up the last speaker before all the children could start playing. Councilmember Jim Mulvihill of the 7th ward came up and read the proclamation from the City of San Bernardino. “We therefore proclaim Oct. 18 as ‘Play Day’ in the City of San Bernardino,” Mulvihill read.