Better Claremont Playgrounds

Better Claremont Playgrounds began as a group of Claremont families who believed our city’s playgrounds could do more: more inclusion, more creativity, and more opportunities for connection across ages and abilities. Today, this work lives within The Play Collective, grounded in the same core idea that play is essential community infrastructure.

Our focus is simple but powerful: partnering with residents, youth, and the City to ensure playgrounds are welcoming, inclusive, and thoughtfully designed to serve the community today and for generations to come.

Lewis Park: A Community-Led Success

Lewis Park represents what is possible when community voices are meaningfully included early in the design process. Through sustained advocacy, collaboration with City staff, and extensive community input, Lewis Park was reimagined as an inclusive, nature-forward playground that serves children of different ages and abilities while also supporting caregivers and neighbors. The updated playground reflects priorities the community consistently raised, including imaginative play, natural materials, accessibility, and spaces to gather and connect. Lewis Park is not just a playground. It is proof that when residents are invited into the process, public spaces become places people truly care for, use often, and feel proud of.

Park Facilities Improvement Plan: A Citywide Step Forward

Alongside the Lewis Park project, Better Claremont Playgrounds successfully advocated for the City of Claremont to replace its outdated Like-for-Like playground replacement policy with a Park Facilities Improvement Plan that prioritizes community input. This citywide effort represents an important milestone and creates a shared framework for improving playgrounds and park amenities across Claremont.

Rather than relying on one-to-one, like-for-like replacements, the Park Facilities Improvement Plan establishes a more holistic, community-informed approach to improving playgrounds and park amenities across the city:

Set clear, transparent priorities for reinvestment in parks and playgrounds
Align improvements with community needs, demographics, and equity goals
Ensure accessibility and age-inclusive design across neighborhoods
Plan proactively for long-term maintenance and sustainability

The City is currently leading this effort, with opportunities for community input throughout the process. You can learn more about the Park Facilities Improvement Plan on the City’s website.

Next Up: Larkin Park

Larkin Park, affectionately known as Pirate Park, is widely used by families with kids of all ages and is also the next playground scheduled for improvement, making this a critical moment for community input. To help ensure the playground redesign reflects what the community values most, The Play Collective conducted a design-oriented community survey inviting residents to share feedback on play elements, materials, and experiences.

The response was overwhelming. 177 community members participated, sharing thoughtful perspectives and personal experiences. While there was a wide range of ideas, responses consistently highlighted a desire for a playground that:

Supports play, safety, and inclusion together
Uses natural materials and imaginative design
Serves multiple age groups at the same time
Creates space for connection and community

The survey results have been shared with City staff, the City’s landscape architect, and playground vendors to help inform design conversations. Read the full Larkin Park Community Survey Results.