Project Summary

The Problem

The Pack Team identified problems in our San Rafael, California, Canal neighborhood – trash, gangs, graffiti, and no place to play. The team decided to tackle the issue of opening a park where young people could play. After conducting our research, our first solution to build a new park ran into some major cost difficulties and the realization that it would take many years to complete. Instead we found a better solution, working with the Pickleweed Park authorities.

Our Solution

Help fix what is wrong. We learned that Pickleweed Park was closed 7 months of the year because it is on a natural field that is always being renovated. People with money always have priority to reserve the field ahead of those who cannot pay. The kids in the neighborhood are at a disadvantage, as there is no “open time” to play. Our team focused our efforts to make a plan to advocate for the field to be changed to artificial turf so the park could be open year round.

The Impact We Hope to Make

The Pack learned from the Pickleweed authorities that their idea was the same as the Pack’s and Pickleweed Park authorities had already applied for a state grant to pay for the park’s renovation. Unfortunately, the state denied their grant. Our team agreed to help Pickleweed, creating a community awareness campaign as well as collecting usage data for the park.

The impact so far from our efforts includes Pickleweed Park authorities’ decision to schedule “open time” next summer for field use without reservations, so that anyone in the community can use the park. We also hope to see the San Rafael City Council approve a $3 million low-interest loan to change the park to artificial turf fields for year-round use.

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