Welcome to Bird Park Apartments! This turquoise cutie is the latest BBAB play space made for the residents of this affordable, subsidized community by Thomas Safran & Associates (TSA). Like all TSA projects, Bird Park Apartments provide an uplifting and aesthetically pleasing place to live for those who need it, and our play structures offer these families an outlet for active play, bonding, and community building.

Unlike other TSA communities, however, Bird Park is located on Catalina Island, a tourist destination off the coast of Los Angeles that’s accessed by ferry. The original Bird Park was a bird zoo/sanctuary that opened in 1929 with almost 8 acres of birds to view. Although it closed decades ago, the name lives on, as seen in the classic pictorial tile mural above that the island is known for.

Barbara wanted the structure to echo the picturesque location, so each of the colors are inspired by the sights of Catalina Island’s seascape, from the sea (Calypso) to the sky (Periwinkle) to the plants (Parsley) to the sand (Sand).

Because visitors are not allowed to bring cars to the island, installing this structure required some creative logistics. The components of the structure were packaged into 5 crates that then were loaded onto the ferry and then transported to the site by a local transport company. The BBAB crew relied on golf carts, electric bikes, and their own feet to get around the island!

Once installed, MaryLou Iverson, Playground Safety Consultant, gives it a thorough safety inspection, as she does on all our public use projects.

Of course, Bird Park isn’t just cute to look at! It also packs quite a few play activities into a small footprint, including rock climbing wall, rope net climb, a slide, roofed tower, mini tunnel, and an ADA compliant transfer platform. Of course, once you add in some youthful imagination, the structure might transform into a boat, a castle, spy headquarters, or ninja training grounds!

We so enjoyed our time on Catalina Island! Who wouldn’t love looking at that view at lunchtime?