Changes are coming to the playground at the Orinda Community Park, but city officials aren’t going to move forward until they get input from the people who use the recreation area.
“We have been waiting for years to update the playground areas and just freshen up the layout,” said Mayor Brandyn Iverson about the project, which will go in one of two directions.
The city is currently deciding between two major redesign plans that would completely revamp both playground areas at Orinda Community Park. The city is also planning upgrades to reserved picnic areas, gazebo, pathways, lighting and restroom facilities at the park, across various phases of the project.
Residents can make their opinions known through the city’s website, and the plans for the playground area will be finalized by December 2026.
According to city staff, the cost of the play area upgrade phase alone is $1.2 million. and the city is planning to go out to bid in April 2027, with construction planned for the early phases of the project in fall 2027.
“We’re no longer going to have the tot and the older kids lots so far apart, and it’s going to be fun to not only modernize some of the play amenities, but also some of the paths, lighting and picnic areas,” said Iverson. “Maybe the most exciting feature will be a new bandshell, part of our ongoing efforts to level up our summer evening programming.”
Orinda Councilmember Latika Malkani agreed that the park is “long overdue” for an upgrade and remodel, and praised the new comprehensive designs that will not split the older and younger areas.
“We have been doing a lot of outreach, both in person and via social media,” said Todd Trimble, the city’s director of Parks and Recreation.
The two proposals feature extensive climbing structures, ropes, swings, soft rubber decking and slide structures that will interest kids of all ages, and are better integrated into the entire park design.
The difference between the two plans is primarily in the visual aspect. Plan A is a “nature-themed” plan that features a larger slide and playground structures with brown and yellow tones, as opposed to Plan B, which would feature an “art deco-themed” plan that is similar to the look and structures at Moraga Commons Park.
Either way, the play structures will cover more of the park, leaving less grassy area that is currently in the center of the park. The city plans to leave the circular path around the playground and install new fencing around the entire play area to make it much easier for parents to keep track of their children.
The upgrades in the current plans are focused on the playground, amphitheater, gazebo, restrooms, sand pits and walkways. Some parts will be untouched, as the picnic areas will stay up on the hill, along with the tennis courts and half-court tennis wall.
The city estimates the entire project will cost $4.8 million, excluding design and construction management costs, with the four phases of the project consisting of: 1) accessibility and parking, including restroom upgrades; 2) play area redesign; 3) bandshell and reservable picnic areas upgrades; and 4) pathway, lighting and landscaping improvements.
The playground design plans and park master plan are posted along with the community survey on the city’s homepage at cityoforinda.gov/.
Residents can weigh in on Community Park renovation plans
