Reinstalled playground aims to bring new life to Stockton park with violent history
STOCKTON - The City of Stockton is planning to reinstall a playground at Sandman Park that was the site of a deadly shooting in 2020.
The city council considered the proposal during its Tuesday night council meeting where a spokesperson said the council was expected to put the playground equipment back at Sandman Park located at Don and Waudman Avenues in North Stockton.
No children were playing at Sandman Park in Stockton on Tuesday, but Kathy Holton, who has lived near the park for over 40 years, remembers when it used to look different.
"People would bring their kids out here to play in the sand. They used to be able to climb," Holton said. "They used to have a lot of fun play structures for the kids to climb on and swings. It was a lot of fun."
Holton would take her kids, grandkids and dogs there consistently, but she said the family-friendly environment has changed over the years; regardless, she still feels safe and tries to make it out once a week.
The park has been sitting playground-less since 2021, just months after it became the site of a triple shooting that left a 17-year-old boy dead in December 2020.
"I think it did change the flavor of the park to not have a play structure," Holton said. "There's nothing for little kids to do."
The crime happening around there has remained consistent. Stockton police told CBS13 that it got 50 calls for service at or near the park in 2023 and 49 calls in 2022.
"This park hasn't been that active in quite a while," Holton said. "Maybe, I don't know, people are afraid and they don't come out as much."
Signs posted at the park said the playground was removed for public safety, but was it crime that caused the closure?
The city said no. The reason the playground was removed was because of old, deteriorating equipment that was not accessible to all.
"The community had expressed a need for equipment that was accessible for all ages and all abilities," said Connie Cochran, the city's community relations officer.
Now, Sandman Park will be the site of north Stockton's first all-accessible playground with ramps, rubberized surfacing, sensory rails and more.
"Maybe people will come with their bouncy houses and have parties here," Holton said.
The city's goal is that the new playground will attract people from all over Stockton to bring a different crowd back to Sandman Park.
"What is great is to see this space finally used for its intended purpose," Cochran said. "What you need around a park is activity and livelihood, and this particular park, because of the features it will have, it will attract people from all over the city."
The park will be using discretionary spending funds to pay for the nearly $400,000 playground. If approved by the council, work will begin in May and the accessible playground will be open by June.
"I really haven't been afraid to come to the park," Holton said. "I hope that it stays that way."
