Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe start campaign to build new accessible playground

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe has announced the launch of a $350,000 community playground campaign, “Let the Kids Play,” to upgrade the Al Tahoe playground.

The current Al Tahoe playground is over 25 years old, having been built in the late 1990s for Al Tahoe Elementary School and the community surrounding it. Since the elementary school closed in 2004, there have been no upgrades or improvements to the neglected playground, resulting in many areas now being boarded up, decrepit, and unsuitable for play.

The campaign will fund the construction of a brand-new playground, as well as the removal of the old one. Accessibility, safety, and versatility are the main focus for the future playground. With new youth programs, schools, and community sports programs like AYSO and Little League utilizing the field space adjacent to the playground, there needs to be a playground that is fun and accessible for all ages, all abilities, and all children. The club's teen group is adamant about the inclusion of an outdoor classroom, and it's included in the master design.

“Research shows outdoor play involving some level of physical activity has a positive impact on a child’s mental health,” said Dr. Tracy Protell, Barton Psychiatry. “It increases natural endorphins, fosters higher self-esteem, and contributes to well-rounded social relationships.”

In 2023, Design Workshop, an international design studio with offices on the South Shore, completed a pro-bono redesign of the playground using input from staff, Club members, and their own expertise. Boys & Girls Club members and staff came together to brainstorm and design a new playground for the Club and the community. Based on the ideas that were discussed, Design Workshop created a dream blueprint to represent the vision.

“The playground will provide socializing and play spaces, as well as interpretive spaces and learning opportunities,” explained Design Workshop. “[It will] build off the sense of pride that the new Boys & Girls Club facility has created for the kids and surrounding community.”

It is estimated the new playground will be used by over 2,000 children and teens annually and will serve as a focal point for the Al Tahoe neighborhood and surrounding programs.

Read more about why play is so important - https://bgclt.org/importance-of-play/.

To donate and learn more about the “Let the Kids Play” Campaign, visit www.bgclt.org/let-the-kids-play.