On August 29, 2023, the City’s Public Works Department completed a collaborative installation of new nature play and inclusive elements equipment, including an outdoor classroom, a braille board panel, two (2) owl boxes, and a hawk perch at Forest Hill Park. The playground equipment donated is valued to be Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).
The donation is made by the Carmel-based non-profit, Carmel Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Leadership Carmel Program’s Class of 2023 (“Leadership Carmel”), consisting of: Leslie Altherr, Michael Bruno, Jahre Carver, Emily Garay, Bill Kerr, Gianna Malfitano, Elizabeth O'Malley, Cyndi Silva, and program directors Barry Frew and Jeanne Frew. This donation is designated as Leadership Carmel’s “Legacy Gift” to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea in alignment with the Leadership Carmel Program’s mission of applying a deeper of understanding of leadership, effectively leading change, and community awareness to have a positive impact within and for the community in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Leadership Carmel presented the equipment and project proposal for the Forest Hill Park donation to the Forest & Beach Commission in February 2023 and March 2023, with unanimous approval in March 2023.
The collaborative installation project between Leadership Carmel and the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Public Works Department of the donated equipment was completed on August 29, 2023. City Council is required to accept donations of $2,500 or more in accordance with the City Council Donation and Gift Policy (Policy 2017 -02).