North OC Times

Anaheim, California's iconic Little People’s Park is set to receive a new playground, designed by local children and constructed by volunteers. The new addition follows the unveiling of a 300-foot Chicano heritage mural in September, which has become a popular selfie spot along the park’s southern edge.

Over 100 volunteers from the CarMax Foundation, KABOOM!, Anaheim Family YMCA, and the city of Anaheim are scheduled to build the playground on Thursday, May 16. Tasks for the day include assembling a 2,800-square-foot playground, pouring concrete for posts, and spreading woodchips. This project will replace the park’s existing playground that dates back to 2003.

The upcoming playground is Anaheim’s 17th collaboration with KABOOM!, a nonprofit builder of playgrounds. It also marks the city's first project with CarMax Foundation, the nonprofit arm of CarMax Inc.

The design of this new recreational space reflects inputs gathered from neighborhood children about their preferences. On March 7, organizers held a meeting with 65 children and adults at nearby Benjamin Franklin Elementary School to discuss the design of the playground.

Based on feedback received during this meeting, features such as a zip line, two slides, swings, a climbing wall, see-saw seats with backs for wheelchair transfers, drums and chimes as well as an educational panel teaching Braille have been included in the design. Ground-level learning panels and music play areas have also been incorporated to ensure accessibility for all abilities.

The park is expected to open for use shortly after construction completion following safety checks. This investment underscores ongoing community commitment towards enhancing important public spaces in Anaheim.

Little People’s Park opened in 1970 and occupies approximately one acre in downtown Anaheim. Despite its history of clashes between local teens and Anaheim Police in 1978, today it stands as a symbol of positive neighborhood engagement by city authorities and law enforcement agencies.

Located across from the park is the "Memories of the Past, Images of the Present" mural by renowned Southern California Chicano muralist Emigdio Vasquez. Painted after the 1978 riot, it features Cesar Chavez and other scenes from Chicano history.

In August 2023, to mark Chicano Heritage Month, Anaheim commissioned a new mural on the south wall at Little People’s Park. Completed in September by Santa Ana-based Latino artist Damin Lujan, known as Zaoone, this vibrant piece has become a social media sensation with its vivid colors and iconic images inspired by Mexican folk art.

Little People’s Park serves as a greenspace for neighborhood families and residents of nearby apartments and homes in historic Anaheim. The area surrounding the park is part of Anaheim's Hispanic heritage dating back to the 1900s when Mexican immigrants were drawn to the city by agricultural, railroad, and other job opportunities.