Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Renaming The Rainbow Tot Lot Located At 4001 N. Hills Drive To “Richard Blattner Mindfulness Park.”
Strategic Plan Focus
Communications & Civic Engagement
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached Resolution.
Explanation:
The Rainbow Tot Lot is located at 4001 N. Hills Drive and currently contains a few pieces of playground equipment geared toward children aged 2-5 years old and is nearing its end of life expectancy. The City recently installed a brand new playground at Mara Berman Giulianti Park, located at 4151 N. Hills Drive, which is only a block from Rainbow Tot Lot.
Staff is recommending the removal of the playground equipment from the Rainbow Tot Lot and a repurposing of the park. Since the park will no longer have a tot lot it makes sense to change the name.
A public meeting was held on April 10, 2024 (via Webex) to get feedback from the neighborhood, with the consensus from the meeting being that residents would like it to become a “Mindfulness Space” with shade, green space, benches and chairs, chess and checker tables, and improvements to the swale in front of the park.
On April 17, 2024, Commissioner Gruber proposed renaming the “Rainbow Tot Lot” to the “Richard Blattner Mindfulness Park” and the request received City Commission support for the renaming.
The Naming Policy provides that any proposed naming that is initiated by a City Commissioner shall be placed on a publicly noticed City Commission agenda for consideration without having to first be evaluated by the Naming Review Committee. The City Commission members who propose the naming are encouraged to seek community input for the proposed changed.
Fiscal Impact:
Approval of this Resolution will not fiscally impact the City.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Ricky Engle, Director, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts
Patricia A. Cerny, City Clerk
Adam Reichbach, Assistant City Manager for Finance & Administration