Are you interested in providing kids and teens in Tiburon with safe places to gather and play? If so, we need your support!

Tiburon is currently developing a master plan for our entire parks and recreation system, and town officials have asked for the public’s input on what residents value and what improvements they would like to see. In response, Tiburon parents and supporters have joined together to advocate for the recreational needs of our children, who have been under-prioritized in the past. This is our chance to be heard!  

 

 

We propose seven ideas for Tiburon’s parks and recreation system that would significantly benefit children and teens, along with residents of all ages. If you’d like to see one or more of these amenities in Tiburon, please sign this petition. The Town Council is expected to vote on the plan in August, so we don’t have much time!

1. Create a nature-based, accessible, and inclusive playscape at a location near parking and include a multi-generational gathering area with picnic tables and shade.

2. Incorporate a launch spot along the waterfront for stand-up paddleboards and kayaks.

3. Build a community pool that accommodates residents of all ages and abilities and could employ local youth as lifeguards.

4. Separate fast traffic from slow traffic along the Old Rail Trail and SF Bay Trail to prevent the serious injury of pedestrians (children, adults and dogs) and slow-paced bikers.

5. Update Cypress Hollow Park. Eliminate degraded areas, modernize play equipment, ensure the main playground is safe for toddlers, separate out spaces for dogs and kids, and commit to regular maintenance. 

6. Enhance the neglected Bel Aire Mini Park. This includes leveling turf to make it safe for walking and playing, installing a water fountain and shaded picnic tables, adding a pathway and native plants, and committing to regular maintenance. Of note, Bel Aire Mini Park is the emergency evacuation area for Bel Aire Elementary, so it is vital that the park has drinking water and is safe for kids.

7. Add at least one amenity that is desirable for tweens and teens. This could include a pump track, a sand volleyball court, shaded picnic tables throughout town, and/or mobile food carts/trucks serving items such as gelato or bubble tea.

 

 

To provide a bit more information about the impetus for this petition:

Tiburon is currently working with a consulting firm to develop the long-range master plan for the town’s public parks and open spaces. As stated in public documents [1], the point of this planning process is to take stock of what we have, identify the community’s priorities for new amenities and experiences, and chart a course for the future.

A group of Tiburon and Belvedere parents have spent countless hours convening and attending public meetings to ensure town officials know that families want more parks and recreational offerings for children. Tiburon is a multi-generational community, yet the needs of our kids and teens are not being met. There is an acute lack of accessible, up-to-date and well-maintained play and hang-out spaces in Tiburon for people aged 0 to 18, despite the fact that this age group constitutes over 20 percent of our town’s population.

 

 

In regard to young children, there are limited public outdoor spaces where they can conveniently and safely play. We have two city-owned playgrounds, and both have significant drawbacks. The one at South Knoll in Lineal Park requires a long walk from the Blackie’s Pasture parking lot and was last updated in 2006 (tot lot) and 2008 (older kid playground). The other, located in Cypress Hollow Park, has structural hazards for young kids, no bathroom, no areas where kids can be separated from dogs, and has not been rehabilitated since 2009.

In regard to tweens and teens, there are few public spaces where they can gather, play sports, and engage in other recreational activities. Park amenities popular with this age group include sheltered areas for studying and hanging out, athletic courts and fields, swimming pools, skateparks, pump tracks, and cafes/food trucks. Due to the absence of these amenities in Tiburon’s public parks, our tweens and teens tend to congregate at places like CVS.

Tiburon desperately needs recreational areas that can support our youth. Access to parks and recreation is critical to a child’s development at all stages — and this access has become even more critical due to the surging mental health crisis among young people that is having “devastating” effects, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.[2]

 

 

The purpose of this petition is to urge town officials involved in shaping and adopting the master plan to make children and teens a priority. To date, our town has reportedly spent $270,000 on consultant fees for the master-planning process, so let’s make sure our voices are heard.

This petition was initiated by Parents for Parks + Rec, a Tiburon-based grassroots group. We are a collection of parents, grandparents, caretakers, children, and allies who care about creating and maintaining recreational spaces in Tiburon that are inclusive and inspiring.

If you are a Tiburon or Belvedere resident, we hope you will support our efforts by signing this petition, attending town meetings, contacting town council members, and advocating for the recreational needs of youth in our community. To join our group, please email: tiburonparents@gmail.com

Let’s make Tiburon a great place to live for everyone!

 

 

[1] https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/index.html

[2] https://www.tiburonparks.com/documents