Walk past the baseball field in Sayulita on any afternoon and you’ll probably hear Sayuparque before you see it: kids laughing, swinging and racing each other across the playground. It’s a small community park with a big job. It gives local children a safe, clean place to play, and it exists only because parents decided it should.

This October, SayulitaLife’s monthly donation goes to Sayuparque. We spoke with Xochil, who leads fundraising and day-to-day operations at the park, about how it started, who it serves and what it takes to keep it open seven days a week.

A Park Started by Parents

Years ago, a group of Sayulita moms and dads saw that local kids needed a place to play, and they built Sayuparque. That same spirit keeps the park going today.

Xochil has been involved for the past three years, leading fundraising and overseeing the park’s daily needs.

Who Plays at Sayuparque

Most of the kids at the park are local, including children of vendors who work nearby. Schools and daycares bring their kids to play, and families at the baseball field use it too.

Over the years, the park has hosted:

• Día del Niño celebrations
• Park opening events
• Community parties

No Government Funding, Just Community

Sayuparque receives no government funding. All of its money comes from parents who live in or visit Sayulita.

“Funding is our biggest challenge,” Xochil explains. “With no government support, we parents have to raise funds every year.”

How This Month’s Donation Helps

SayulitaLife’s October donation will help pay Chayito, who opens the park seven days a week and cleans it twice a week. Her work behind the scenes keeps the park safe and welcoming for every child who comes through the gate.

The Moment That Made It Worth It

When we asked about a moment that shows what the park means to Sayulita, Xochil remembered the day the park’s first heavy-duty playground was installed. It was made in Mexico.

“The nearby vendors’ children came with the biggest smiles,” she says. “Some spend much of their day on the streets with nowhere to play. Seeing their joy meant everything to me.”

Looking Ahead

For now, Sayuparque borrows its space at the baseball field. Over the next few years, the goal is to make the park bigger and nicer, with a dedicated space of its own.

How You Can Help

Whether you live in Sayulita or you’re here for a week, you can support Sayuparque by donating, volunteering or coming to community events.

To find out how to get involved, contact the park through the Sayuparque Facebook page.

Places like Sayuparque are a big part of what makes Sayulita a real community and not just a beach town. A clean, safe playground can seem like a small thing, but for many local families it’s one of the few places where kids can just be kids.

SayulitaLife is proud to support Sayuparque this October, and we hope you’ll lend a hand too. If you know a local organization doing meaningful work in Sayulita, let us know. We’d love to feature them in a future issue of El Sayulero.