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Want to give tennis, Frisbee or other recreational sports a try, but don’t have any equipment? A new pilot project at one Livermore park this summer seeks to break down that barrier.
The brainchild of six students from Pleasanton’s Foothill High School, the “Sports Stack” program will start its first extended trial in Livermore at Jack Williams Neighborhood Park next week through August – with the support of the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District.
The plan seems simple enough: Stock a box with community sports equipment at the park, encourage visitors to borrow and enjoy (and return) the items, track the results and assess the program’s performance. The concept was inspired by similar programs focused on free access to recreation elsewhere in the country and the world, according to the district.
“We wanted to create a way to encourage more kids and families to be active outdoors,” Foothill student Neti Vyas, a member of the “Sports Stack” team, said in an LARPD press release last week. “By making sports equipment freely available at parks, Sports Stack helps park visitors experience a variety of sports whenever they want and build a stronger community within our parks.”
After introducing their idea at an LARPD board meeting, the students received the green light from the district’s Facilities Committee and Board of Directors this spring. The team also conducted a small-scale test with a prototype to refine its concept before pilot launch, according to the district.
“Our parks are designed to bring people together, and this pilot program is a creative way to encourage kids and families to get outside and connect with one another,” LARPD Board Director Jan Palajac said.
“What makes this project especially exciting is that these students identified an opportunity to enhance local parks, and they worked through the public process to help bring their idea to life,” she added. “We’re looking forward to supporting the pilot program and seeing how the community responds.”
The wooden crate-style box opening on Monday (June 1) at Jack Williams Park – on Neptune Lane, between Concannon Boulevard and Orion Way – will include tennis rackets, balls, Frisbees and other rec sports equipment. LARPD staff are coordinating the equipment and supporting the launch.
The “Sports Stack” box is scheduled to remain in place until Aug. 31.
“During that time, the student team plans to regularly monitor the equipment box, collect community feedback, and evaluate usage to help determine the program’s effectiveness,” LARPD officials stated. “Future expansion opportunities could include partnerships with community organizations and volunteer groups to help construct additional equipment boxes.”
