Rather than stay home and wait for the tropical storm on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, Arrowhead Lake Association parents, grandparents, their children and grandchildren attended the opening of a new updated playground at ALA’s Grass Valley Lake Park, located at 614 Golf Course Road in Lake Arrowhead.

More than 100 attendees anxiously awaited the ribbon cutting to kick off the opening of the newly installed playground equipment. The new playground includes slides with fun activities built into the structure, a swing set with an ADA-compliant swing, a separate area for the classic monkey bars and a newly installed zip line that runs the entire length of the new playground.

The updated playground – including materials to create the larger playground area and installation costs – was funded by ALA members, including 100 ALA members who donated additional funds, and a single ALA member, who paid for the entire cost of the zip line.

The slide was a bit hit with the children.

In the coming weeks, nine benches will be installed close to the playground and by the lake. Each bench will have a name plaque of those ALA members who sponsored the cost of the bench.

According to an informal survey of the children who attended the inaugural and tested all the playground equipment, their hands-down favorite was the zip line, followed by the monkey bars. One little girl said that she really liked watching the ducks who make their home at the lake near the playground. On Saturday, it was clear that there were many happy children and appreciative parents and grandparents to have the new updated playground at Grass Valley Lake Park. The ALA board, ALA staff, ALA Ad Hoc Grass Valley Committee and the ALA members, volunteers and additional donors all helped make the updated playground area into a happy place.

Topping the list of the children’s favorite activity was the zip line.

Prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony and opening of the new updated playground, the children were given the opportunity to help in the planting of a new pine tree adjacent to the playground. The excited children were given small shovels to help fill the hole with the newly planted tree.

Everyone attending was offered ice cream along with hotdogs, chips and drinks to round out the event. ALA’s Grass Valley Lake Park is open to ALA members and their guests.

–Story and photos courtesy of LakeArrowheadNews.com