The city of Fresno awarded a $1 million grant in Measure P sales tax funds to Storyland on Tuesday, aiming to make the beloved Roeding Park attraction more accessible to visitors.

Storyland, which opened in 1962, is “in need of a little bit of TLC,” according to councilmember Tyler Maxwell.

The site needs improvements to help make the grounds more accessible and welcoming to visitors with disabilities. That’s where the city steps in, “more than happy” to fund those needed improvements.

“We want to make sure that our parks and green spaces are available to all children and all families across Fresno,” Maxwell said.

Storyland will use the grant to build ADA compliant infrastructure and fix facilities in disrepair, such as the bathrooms.

“The funding will help us improve access, update our beloved storybook exhibits and ensure that Storyland continues to inspire imagination for generations of Fresno families,” said Joe Denham, a board member of Storyland Fresno.

The decision to present this grant came amidst a $55 million budget shortfall this year.

“We have had an incredible budget shortfall, that was before the reconciliation process and after,” Mayor Jerry Dyer said, “But we could not, as a council and my administration, think of a better use of $1 million than right here at Storyland.”

The mayor acknowledged other pressing demands but backed the decision to put funds towards the park and children in the community.

Focus on Literacy in Fresno Youth

Storyland has a strong educational component: Improve literacy and fostering a love of reading.

Statues and interactive structures straight from classic stories, such as Alice in Wonderland and Goldilocks and the Tree Bears, fill the park, bringing the pages to life.

“Magic keys” that trigger audio recorded readings of the displayed tale to play are available for visitors. There are also live performances by local storytellers, dancers, magicians, and more.

“It’s where I fell in love with reading when I was a kid,” Maxwell said. “Not only is Storyland entertaining but it is educational as well, teaching children the importance of literacy, imagination and exciting them to go home and read about all the amazing stories they just spent the day interacting with.”

The councilmember emphasized the importance of investing in local youth and ensuring that they have adequate resources. He led a successful countywide effort to help boost early childhood literacy by bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library here.

Storyland puts on reading programs throughout the year, including a summer camp, and provides children with a tangible connection to stories, Denham said.

“As a small child, I had the privilege of coming here with my parents and take advantage of something that is very special,” Dyer said. “In our community, a lot of our kids are not able to go out of town. They’re not able to go to Disneyland or various theme parks, and this is their theme park.”