Piedmont schedules community workshops, online survey for Linda Beach tot‑lot plan

Piedmont recreation staff outlined public outreach this month for the Linda Beach top‑lot tot‑lot replacement project and invited residents to two in‑park workshops and an online survey. Communications program manager Eka Schneider said staff will mail materials to roughly 500 households in the park area and to about 40 people who signed an earlier petition, and that bilingual signage and staff will be available at the meetings.

"We're getting a mailing out to the surrounding community this week... It's going out to about 500 households," Schneider said, and urged residents to attend the workshops (staff listed the sessions as Thursday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 1, 10 a.m.–noon) or respond to the online questionnaire. Schneider said the outreach will ask residents about equipment types, aesthetics, whether they prefer turf or matting surfaces, local art and a balance between active and quiet play.

Staff acknowledged budget constraints but said they have identified a range of equipment options and will use community feedback to prioritize features. Nancy (recreation staff) said commissioners may attend the workshops in observation mode only and should not directly engage participants. The commission discussed simple engagement tactics, including kid-friendly photo or picture‑vote prompts and gratitude‑tag activities to capture caregivers' preferences.

Next steps: staff will post links to the online survey, install bilingual signs at the tot lot, and return to the commission with summarized community feedback and a recommended equipment list.