Board Reviews Phased Rollout of 'Children's Play Area' Signs for City Playgrounds

Parks staff showed the board three phases of signage to identify designated children's play areas at playgrounds and said they will begin installation in the first phase at roughly 15 parks.

Mark (parks staff) and other department presenters said the ordinance authorizing exclusive play-area signage and enforcement direction was approved earlier in the budget process and the department is producing signage now. The plan calls for entry-point signs (two per playground budgeted), with an initial target to have major installations completed by January.

Board members raised questions about how the signs will interact with adjacent pavilions (for example at Hardy Park) and about enforcement discretion. Staff replied enforcement would rely on police discretion and park-user reporting when borderline cases arise, and that the signage is intended to give clearer legal footing for enforcement of the ordinance.

Staff said the phased approach is driven by production and installation scheduling rather than by changes to where signs will go; the department will consider board recommendations to reprioritize specific parks in earlier phases if requested.