Henry Miller Park in Gustine could have new equipment installed in the future after city council officials approved the purchase through a grant program and funds appropriated from the city’s utility users tax fund.

GameTime Playground Grant is a nationwide program that focuses on helping organizations with funding for playground equipment. The grant is funded by the company itself, GameTime.

Gustine Economic and Community Development Director Jami Westervelt said the grant funding changes every year. She added that the grant will fund nearly 50% of the equipment costs, which was estimated at $52,000. According to the item’s staff report, an order must be placed by Oct.24 to get the funding. While the grant will subsidize equipment funding, the city will be responsible for additional equipment, tax installation and any surfacing replacement.

In the agenda item’s report, it mentioned that the city will need appropriate funding from the utility users tax fund to pay for the project. According to Gustine’s Adopted Fiscal Year Budget for 2025-26, the tax fund’s budget is $340,000.

Gustine partnered with GameTime back in 2021 when the city received grant funding for renovations on Harry Schmidt Park, according to the agenda item’s report.

It was noted that the playground equipment at Henry Miller has deteriorated. Westervelt said the park’s equipment could’ve been purchased in 2004. She added that there has been some substantial repairs such as three slides being replaced in 2012.

“[The equipment] has been there a while and that said, it’s at the end of its useful life [cycle],” Westervelt said.

She said the city staff focused on providing equipment suited for children from ages 5 to 12 and to offer a play value of multiple years. Additionally, city staff wants to add an area for smaller children and shade to the playground structure.

“It’s something that we wanted to try and see if we could do within that footprint, and we wanted to incorporate shade,” she said. “That was based on both comments that the council and public [have made] at [past] workshops.” 

During the public comment segment, Merced County Supervisor Lloyd Pareira said that Gustine could qualify for shade structure funding through the county’s First 5 program. The program, which is a part of First 5 California, focuses on improving the lives of children and families throughout the state.

Gustine Mayor Pat Nagy said he was in favor of the project and mentioned the impact that the city’s aquatic center has had on the local community.

Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist in Stanislaus County