Meeting Date: September 23, 2008

Subject/Title: Presentation recognizing the City of Brentwood as a 2008 “Playful City USA” community by KaBOOM!

Prepared by: Sue Barry and Barbie Gary, Recreation Supervisors

Submitted by: Craig Bronzan, Director of Parks and Recreation

RECOMMENDATION
Receive presentation recognizing the City of Brentwood as a 2008 “Playful City USA” community by KaBOOM!

PREVIOUS ACTION
On July 24, 2007 City Council authorized Parks and Recreation Department staff to complete the application for the Playful City USA program and authorized the Mayor, or mayoral appointee designated authority, to represent the Mayor in signature, to sign the completed application.

On April 22, 2008 City Council authorized Parks and Recreation Department staff to form a “Play Task Force” for the Playful City USA application, with representation from the business community, community at-large and the Mayor.

BACKGROUND
Playful City USA is a national recognition program that honors communities across the country for taking action locally to build an infrastructure that promotes, creates and sustains an abundance of time and space for play for all children. This program is sponsored by KaBOOM!, a national non-profit that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

On September 6, 2008, a formal announcement naming 67 communities as “Playful Cities” for 2008 was released by KaBOOM! on qubo, a national television and online service for children with programming on the NBC network, in addition to press releases to local media.

This is the second year of the annual program, and 26 of the 31 founding Playful City USA communities have made the list again, while 41 new communities, including New York, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Brentwood have joined the ranks. The agendas all of these communities have created impact not only childhood wellness, but public safety and quality of life issues.

KaBOOM! selected Brentwood for its dedication to play. Taking a pro-active stance on play and health for its community, Brentwood adopted a Wellness Policy that serves as a living document to help guide policy makers. Originally, the policy pertained to education, planning, promoting and implementing parks, facilities and programs that foster fitness and wellness in the community. Through the Playful City USA application process, the City of Brentwood became more aware of how essential play is to learning and human development that the policy was amended to specifically address the benefits of play. “In a time when communities are struggling with critical financial decisions, Brentwood proved its commitment to the cause of play by launching creative initiatives designed to increase access to playspaces, improve the quality of play in their community, and increase the time children spend playing,” said Darell Hammond, KaBOOM! CEO and Co-founder. “The ideas range the gamut, from new programming and access initiatives to creating informational resources and public private partnerships. It just goes to show you, where there’s a will, there’s a play.”

FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact. Winners receive priority status in accessing all KaBOOM! resources including playground builds, trainings, and grants opportunities.