Parents, children and other community members spoke out at the Sept. 22 Los Altos City Council meeting, voicing concerns over the potential use of poured-in-place (PIP) rubber playground surfacing material in Shoup and Grant parks.
At issue is a Sept. 15 Parks, Arts, Recreation and Cultural Commission (PARC) recommendation to not use PIP in favor of continuing the use of engineered wood fibers in the park’s playground surfacing. It was the further recommendation of the commission to disallow any rubber surfacing except on a temporary basis in high fall areas. However, because PARC is a purely advisory committee, concerned residents brought the matter directly to council Tuesday evening during the public comment period.
A total of nine people, seven in person and two on Zoom, spoke in favor of City Council acting on PARC’s recommendation, including June, who, standing with her mother, Kathryn Carpenter, at the lectern, was the first to address council.
June stated her main concern clearly. “I don’t think we should do the rubber stuff because when I am doing those twirly monkey bars, I land on my hands and I don’t want to get hot hands and burn.”
Other speakers took issue with the environmental impact of PIP as well as aesthetic concerns. No speaker voiced support for the use of PIP.
As the comments were concerning an item not on the agenda, council was unable to act at this time.
