“This is an exciting day for Manhattan Beach," said Mayor Richard Montgomery. "This playground has been a beloved part of Polliwog Park for over 50 years. It is where community is built—where you run into your neighbors, or head to the park playground for a meet-up.”

According to the city, the original playground in Polliwog Park was built by members of a city service group in the 1970s, and included a large sunken wooden galleon. The original play structures were replaced in 2003, and after 17 years of use, the playground equipment and padded surface reached the end of useful life. 

The updated equipment honors the playground’s history with a new galleon ship and other nature-based play elements including a bioswale (a landscape feature allowing water to drain through) to aid in drainage after storm events and a natural play area with boulders.

Funding for the project came from L.A. County grant funds totaling $750,000, $200,000 from California State Parks Proposition 68 funding, and $2 million from the city of Manhattan Beach's Capital Improvement Project funds. The Manhattan Beach Unified School District owns the Polliwog Park land upon which the new playground is located and worked in partnership with the city.