Richmond playground makes finals in national contest

By Katherine Tam
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 09/17/2010 05:32:09 PM PDT
Updated: 09/17/2010 05:32:10 PM PDT

The play structure in the Solano Playlot park shows its age in Richmond, Calif., on Monday, July...

Residents in Richmond's North and East neighborhood are finalists in a nationwide contest to win a grand prize of $25,000 worth of playground equipment.
The Solano Playlot garnered enough votes to make the top 10 list in the contest sponsored by Parenting Magazine and KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit organization. Final voting is Monday at www.parents.com.
The triangle-shaped Solano Playlot at 38th Street and Solano Avenue had been neglected for years, until neighbors came together to revitalize it. They formed work parties to spruce up the space, worked with the city for new fencing and irrigation, and collected donated toys. The change has drawn families back to the park in large numbers.
To learn more about the effort to revitalize the park, go to www.solanoplay.org.