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closeSylvia Tinio looks to bring multicultural experiences to board
World travels, music background sharpen vision
Nate Hulings
of the Gateway
Sylvia Tinio is seeking election for the Key Peninsula Parks board of commissioners, saying she’s always had ideas on how to make parks better.
“If you speak about it, you should do something about it,” she said.
Tinio said world travels have given her a better understanding of how different cultures utilize parks. During a trip to the United Kingdom, she said she noticed many parks had interactive components, including craft stations.
The kids in London “have such pleasure, since they did it themselves,” Tinio said. “I haven’t seen anything like that in any parks here.”
Tinio also has traveled to Germany and Australia and observed park development.
The former educator was a member of the Philippines Association for Early Childhood Development. She started two schools in her native Philippines during the 1960s, and she also had a passion to keep children safe and families involved in parks and playgrounds.
“We tried to develop playgrounds and parks that would suit needs for children and the families that were out with them,” Tinio said.
Her solution? Benches and tables closer to playground equipment so parents could keep an eye on their children while partaking in their own activities.
Yet, parks shouldn’t just be playground equipment, she said. Rather, parks should be a place where people can share their artistic talents and create a better, safer community.
Weaving different cultures into the local park experience also is a priority for Tinio.
“It would be great to have foreigners do some presentations, story telling, teach their craft, teach their music at the parks,” she said. “It could be a wonderful learning experience for the public.”
But along with her aspirations, Tinio understands the budget crunch facing many departments. She said her No. 1 priority, if elected, would be park safety.
“People won’t use it (parks) unless they feel safe,” she said.
Parks should be developed as needed and serve the demographics of the area, she added.
Tinio is a musician, with experience on the piano, organ, guitar and marimba.
She’s also a member of the advisory board for Aging and Long Term Care of Pierce County. On that board, she is the adviser of the planning and allocations committee.
Her two children live in California, and the rest of her family lives in the Philippines.