Benjamin Dominguez emigrated to the US at the age of 62 from Mexico, where he had notably fashioned the lion and tiger enclosures at the Mexico City Zoo. Over the next ten years, he would create uniquely imaginative children's playsculptures in in Texas, Nevada and California.
His 'Atlantis' park in Garden Grove, California has been well-preserved and internet postings attest that it is still a favorite.
Not so in Las Vegas, where in the late sixties the Women’s Service League funded a playground of "whales, friendly dragons, mammoth mushrooms and gargantuan turtles. Unfortunately, just a few years ago, the city destroyed these works to make way for a new building development. Benjamin’s sons salvaged only one piece before bulldozers plowed the works under in the middle of the night. "
BOOOO, Las Vegas.
La Laguna was Dominguez' last work, at age 70. It was also threatened with demolition in 2006, but was saved by a grass-roots advocacy effort, Friends of La Laguna, who rallied to save the playground known locally as 'monster park'. The organization is now seeking to raise money for renovation and accessibility.
Donate at their website, (the source of these photos) which has much more information about Mr. Dominguez and his remarkable playground creations.
