South San Francisco, CA June 25, 2015 Submitted by Leslie Arroyo City of South San Francisco 
City aims to improve access to safe and active play spaces within walking distance of all residents and provide challenging play-based learning experiences.
The City of South San Francisco is being honored with a 2015 Playful City USA designation for the first time. In partnership with the Humana Foundation, KaBOOM! is honoring cities, towns and counties across the country for making their communities more playable.
The City of South San Francisco has done a lot to increase the extent to which it makes it easy for all kids to get balanced and active play. Among the changes:
* The city has dedicated $1.6 million to fund new play equipment in the city – one of the largest single categories of capital investment in the community;
* This year alone, the city has funded the replacement of six playground installations;
* $2.2 million was dedicated to all park improvements, which include programs to remove barriers such as pathway improvements, and additional access trails;
* Almost $1 million was dedicated to other improvements to work toward eliminating barriers for individuals with disabilities to improve access to parks and other public spaces;
* The city also dedicated $250,000 for the first time for minor maintenance projects, which will help fund ongoing maintenance of city playgrounds and play spaces so that these areas can continue to meet the community’s demand.
“The City of South San Francisco believes that investing in recreational opportunities and enrichment programs now, more than ever, is needed for a healthy and invested community and workforce,” said Sharon Ranals, Parks & Recreation Director.
The city offers affordable childcare programs including preschool programs, before and after school programs at multiple school sites, and summer, winter, and spring camps, and a Safe Routes to School Program. All of these program areas are based on a “learn through play curriculum.”
“We believe the best way for a child to learn is through play, where children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments,” continued Ranals.
“Playability is crucial to the success of our future communities, and we are proud of the work these cities and leaders are doing to provide a better quality of life for all residents, and especially families,” says KaBOOM! President, James Siegal. “Play provides a competitive advantage for cities looking to attract and retain residents. With these esteemed leaders, and our friends and partners across the country, we continue to prioritize play for all kids.”
To learn more about these cities, see the full list of the 241 communities named 2015 Playful City USA honorees, or to gather more information on the Playful City USA program, visit their website for more information CLICK HERE.