It was an exciting morning for children in Union City. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new playground at Heritage Oak Park took place on Friday, Sept. 5, at 11am.
Apparently, the kids couldn’t wait for the official opening. One girl was seen standing on top of the slides, about to slide down as her grandma watched her to make sure she was okay. Another girl, accompanied by her grandpa, joined her on the slides.
The bright and colorful playground features five slides, a bridge, and a set of monkey bars. A Fremont Bank Foundation official said through email that the playground is made out of eco-friendly and recycled plastic material to prevent rust and overheating.
The new play structure came about after the old one was removed for safety concerns. Union City grounds supervisor Jesus Bañuelos said the old, aging, wooden play structure built in the early 2000s started to “rot” and “teeter” whenever it was stepped on. As a result, the playground was removed in 2022.
Mayor Gary Singh said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony that the city was struggling with funding for the new playground. Singh was proactive and decided to contact Fremont Bank Foundation and ask for funding. The foundation gave a generous amount to Union City. Singh said their donation covered nearly half of the total cost needed to build the new playground, while the city funded the other half.
The foundation was established in 1995 as a private, grant-making entity funded by Fremont Bank. It offers help to communities where Fremont Bank is located. Their offices are spread throughout the Bay Area, including Union City, San Leandro and Dublin, with the main branch located on Fremont Boulevard.
Union City Councilmembers Lance Nishihira, Jaime Patiño, and Jeff Wang also attended the event. Representatives from California State Senator Aisha Wahab’s Office gave a commendation to the City of Union City and Fremont Bank Foundation for the new play structure.
Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Márquez’s field representative Efeosa Orhue also presented a commendation to the City and the Fremont Bank Foundation.
“It is extremely important that we continue to create safe and vibrant places like this,” Orhue said. “This achievement would not have been possible without your contributions, and stands as a milestone in building vibrant, inclusive spaces that enrich Union City’s quality of life.”
