The Tatum’s Garden Foundation announced that they have entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Carmel Valley Community Youth Center (CVCYC) to build a fully accessible playground in Carmel Valley.

Earlier in 2019, the Tatum’s Garden Foundation sent out a request for information from interested parties to take part in a process to identify a new home for Tatum’s Treehouse, which had originally been designed for construction in Toro Park. The Toro Park site became untenable when the Foundation’s all-volunteer-build model was found to be in conflict with a previous agreement on the land which had been gifted from the federal government several decades prior.

The CVCYC was one of several nonprofits and municipalities that sent proposals to the Foundation for evaluation. The Foundation board agreed to partner with CVCYC to provide assistance and guidance throughout the process of planning, fundraising, and building the accessible park.

As there are several rural communities in and around Monterey County’s Carmel Valley, the Foundation strongly felt the current park near the pool was a good location for an accessible playground. While CVCYC will be taking the lead on this project, the Tatum’s Garden Foundation board will provide their expertise on park design, community involvement, fundraising, and volunteer efforts to assist in bringing the park to fruition.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Carmel Valley Community Youth Center on this amazing project. It is our mission to cultivate accessible, inclusive play, and this project fits perfectly with it. We look forward to bringing accessible play to families throughout Monterey County,” says Amanda Bakker, President of the Tatum’s Garden Foundation.

According to Ed Lake, Board Vice President for the CVCYC Board of Directors, “The partnership with the Tatum’s Garden Foundation will give us insight and expertise that will be vital to the construction of this new park. Their reputation within the community as a nonprofit that gets the job done is unmatched. We are proud to announce this new partnership.”

The Carmel Valley Community Youth Center is a nonprofit organization located in Carmel Valley Village. The properties managed by CVCYC include a pool, parking lot, community center hall, and a playground. The CVCYC has supported its local community and youth since its founding in 1952 and is managed by an all-volunteer board of directors. The center provides many recreational and community-based programs to Carmel Valley such as after school programs, summer camps, swimming lessons, and a celebration venue, as well as providing the community with space during times of need such as fires or other emergencies.

While the community center has made many improvements over the years, the CVCYC board has long been investigating options for the replacement of their aged playground. When the CVCYC board learned that Tatum’s Garden Foundation was seeking applicants for the consultation and support for the construction of a new all-inclusive playground, the board jumped at the opportunity. The Carmel Valley Community, as well as Big Sur and the greater Monterey Peninsula, does not have any all-inclusive playgrounds for individuals with special needs. Given the already existing resources and the proximity to the Tularcitos Elementary School, the board feels a partnership with the Tatum’s Garden Foundation is a perfect fit. This newly formed partnership will ensure that all children in the area will have a safe, inclusive, and modern playground for generations to come.