Parks & Recreation 2017 Playground Guide

P L AYG R O U N D G U I D E 2017 W W W. N R PA . O R G

2017 PLAYGROUND GUIDE New ASTM Standards | Creating Better Playground Experiences | Sensory Development Playgrounds

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For a Better Tomorrow, We Play Today

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lay has an invaluable role in encouraging whole-child development. Playgrounds are a microcosm of adultlife where roles are defined and rules are adhered to or broken. But, above and beyond learning life lessons — such as trial and error, sharing and competing — it’s on the playground that children learn persistence, leadership, competition, bravery, support and empathy. It’s these experiences that help shape kids into thinkers, dreamers and leaders.

There are only a few things in most kids’ lives that are universal learning opportunities, and play, which could take place in a back alley or at a playground, is one of them. Landscape Structures Inc., a Delano, Minnesota-based commercial playground equipment manufacturer, understands this powerful reality. Play is fun and physically beneficial, of course. But, play is also an organic form of learning.

In the eyes of a child, playgrounds are more than just a well-designed assembly of metal and plastic pieces. Their imaginations transform playgrounds into countless fantasy worlds. Children turn into kings and queens holding court in their castles, into inquisitive jungle adventurers and more.

Looking back on our own childhoods, we can appreciate the effect playground experiences had on who we ultimately became. In other words, play shapes us.

For years, the campaign for more play has revolved around battling the childhood obesity epidemic. However, play is important for more than just physical development. Play helps shape children’s cognitive, motor and social skills, in addition to the following: • Supports leadership development • Teaches tolerance through inclusive play • Spurs growth in creativity • Promotes problem-solving and diligence • Regulates emotions and brings control to behaviors Landscape Structures has partnered with the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development to research how play helps develop the whole child by creating leaders, encouraging collaboration and teaching about the value of persistence and problem solving. The recently commissioned meta-study confirms what virtually any adult already knows: the simple pleasure of free play is an essential part of healthy development.

Watch kids on the playground, and witness their life’s dress

rehearsal. The next generation’s entrepreneurs, aspiring artists and future athletes are playing, negotiating turns on the slide, assigning dramatic roles, cooperating to balance on the tire swing and mastering new motor skills. These skills learned on the playground are exactly what the world needs more of now.

Sign up at shapedbyplay.com to be notified when the research whitepaper and supporting documents are available.

At Landscape Structures, we believe that childhood play instills important values in kids and helps create the leaders of tomorrow. That’s why we create the best playgrounds in the world. Watch our video at playlsi.com/shapedbyplay that brings the WHY of what we do to life. For a better tomorrow, we play today.

info@playlsi.com playlsi.com 888.438.6574 (toll-free, USA and Canada) 763.972.5200 (everywhere else)

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At Last, the Perfect Gym for Parents

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or today’s timestrapped moms and dads who constantly juggle parenting with career stresses, finding time for fitness can be nearly impossible. The ever-increasing demands of shuttling kids to activities, keeping up with emails 24/7 and managing family social commitments leaves little time for exercise.

But, parks can help ease the pressure-cooker lifestyle by providing amenities that enable parents to multitask — in the best sense of the word. New safety features on outdoor fitness equipment are making it possible for parks to feature gym equipment right next to playgrounds so that parents can both provide physical activity for their children and enjoy the same themselves.

Lemon Park, located in fast-paced Orange County, California, already boasted a playground, spray pool, basketball court and more; it now has a slick new outdoor gym with 12 exercise units featuring adjustable resistance.

Previously, planners hesitated to locate these gyms near2

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by playgrounds because of safety concerns. But thanks to an innovative design by Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, many of the hazards previously associated with outdoor fitness equipment have been virtually eliminated. The result is a gym that lets parents work out just steps away from where their kids play.

A distinctive feature of the Lemon Park gym equipment is the bidirectional piston used to provide resistance. Even on its easiest setting, the piston involves no recoil hazard, but instead returns to its resting position in a slow, controlled manner. Beyond merely adding a layer of safety to the units, the adjustable piston also constitutes a deterrent with respect to young children: Upon attempting to use a unit with the resistance set too high for them to operate, they quickly lose interest and return to the playground. The mature, dark-green-and-black color scheme is also intentional — it’s designed to appeal less to kids than the bright hues of the adjacent play structure.

Park project specialist Doug Pickard helped plan the Lemon Park gym, the third installed so far in the city of Fullerton.

Others are located further from kids’ play areas, but, so far, Pickard says that the approach at Lemon Park has proven successful. He’s observed that parents, exercising as they supervise their children, “have created a great synergy between the two areas and brought more families to the park.”

Eleven of the 12 Greenfields units incorporate the specialized piston; the remaining unit, a sit-up bench, has no moving components. Together, they provide a wide variety of strengthening exercises for upper body, lower body and core muscles; a stepper brings in a cardio element.

“The community loves the outdoor gyms!” Pickard says.

“They are in constant use from early morning until after dark, and we see a broad spectrum of users from the community using the equipment. As we continue to refurbish and upgrade our existing parks, one of the first improvements now requested by the community is the addition of outdoor exercise equipment!”

www.greenfieldsfitness.com info@greenfieldsfitness.com 888.315.9037

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contents features

8 Sensory Development Playgrounds for Parks, Schools It’s important to remember how colors, textures and shapes are all part of early learning education.

Angela Grego

9 Application of Current Standards to Natural Playgrounds Whether equipment is designed, purchased or installed, there are very important factors that must be considered.

Jeff Barber, CPSI

12 Playground Safety: A Shared Responsibility Innovative equipment design and manufacturing techniques have led to creative play opportunities as well as safety issue.

Kenneth S. Kutska

28 Creating a Better Playground Experience for Children The right kind of free play can present an environment that entices children to make their own choice and play longer.

company profiles 1 Landscape Structures 2 Greenfields Outdoor Fitness 6 Cre8Play 10 National Joint Powers Alliance 18 Miracle 20 Burke 22 Little Tikes 24 Shade Systems 26 Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds C3 Playworld

Rob Lockhart, CCPI, CPSI

SEPTEMBER 26-28, 2017 | NEW ORLEANS

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Protect Your Playgrounds. protect your agency.

Get Certified.

Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSIs) help ensure children have safe places to play. Not only that, becoming a CPSI opens the door for career advancement and increased job mobility.

Reach your career goals. Take the course online or in a classroom near you.

www.nrpa.org/CPSI

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Cre8play

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t Cre8Play, we design and build alternate realities that capture the imagination and amaze the senses.

Our mission is to create the most innovative products and environments in the universe. Whether a single product or complete environment, our work is freakishly unique, ridiculously fun and truly original. We use hand sketching, digital rendering, 3D modeling and artistic prototypes. From initial concept drawings to the fabrication of life-like play structures, everything we do shows through in the intense detail of our final product.

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Cre8Play chooses durable and sustainable materials — many of which are recycled and have the ability to be repurposed, including GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete), steel, composite wood, metals and plastics. We utilize an abrasive stone to smooth the concrete for a kid-friendly finish. Then, on to prep, prime and paint using exterior-grade industrial coatings designed for concrete. A finish of industrial anti-graffiti coating/sealer is applied to protect the sculpture. All of our products and environments meet state level, national and ADA guidelines.

Visit us at the 2017 NRPA Annual Conference — Booth # 2838 612.670.8195 info@cre8play.com www.cre8play.com 6

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Sensory Development Playgrounds for Parks, Schools

By Angela Grego

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he right kind of playground design goes beyond simply providing a place for kids to play outdoors. It creates a hands-on, interactive learning experience with colors, shapes, functions and textures. To adults, it may look like just colorful equipment that helps kids let out pent-up energy. However, a child’s perspective is much different. Not only is it colorful, but it also is a wonderful land of active and imaginary play.

No matter what your role is in playground design, it’s important to remember how colors, textures and shapes are all part of early learning education. You have a key role to ensure that active play areas accommodate children with disabilities like autism. In these scenarios, it’s important to include pieces where a function meets a purpose to help them further their cognitive, motor and sensory development.

How to Target Sensory Development in the Playground Environment Textures — Consider adding elevated sand pits so children can stand and play with sand to avoid getting sand in their shorts and shoes. Sand can be shaped and molded with water, which is a great learning experience for kids. Other examples of textures on the playground include: • Square panels with marbles embedded for children to rub and roll their hands on • Grips for different equipment such as monkey bars, climbing bars • Text/numbers grooved into panels or walls • Shape cutouts in different panels that represent a bigger picture of the entire park like the solar system as part of a rocket ship theme

Shapes — Consider adding pieces of equipment that have cutouts, so children can explore whether or not they turn or create a secondary function. An example of a secondary function would be turning a gear that is hooked up to a kaleidoscope. This would allow one child to turn a crank while other kids look in to see the different colors and patterns.

Colors — Younger children and toddlers react most to bright colors (http://sciencing.com/do-bright-colors-appealkids-5476948.html) because they are still developing their color perception. While most playgrounds feature basic primary colors, more advanced equipment might also include secondary colors to distinguish a level of difficulty meant for older children. By tailoring your playground equipment, surfaces and other interactive pieces with these bright colors, it is easier to keep children engaged in playtime.

More Sensory Development Tools — Other types of sensory development that are important in park environments are proprioception (position) and vestibular (balance) senses. When children explore their sense of position (proprioception), they are determining how far away and how much force they need to use to accomplish a movement. Types of equipment that challenge this sense are monkey bars, teeter-totters, pulling bars and swings. These activities stretch, push or pull on muscles or joints.

Other types of playground equipment are designed to help a child detect minor concepts of physics and gravity through movement and balance. Ideal pieces of vestibular playground equipment include spinners, balancing pods and balance beams. These each challenge children with their balance by spinning and rocking back and forth.

Another key component of an effective playground to nurture active learning in a play environment is the surface. The right playground surface, whether it is sand, poured rubber or artificial grass, needs to be equipped for heavy foot traffic and provide adequate support beneath key pieces of equipment without the dangers of a hard ground.

Playground design is more than selecting the equipment, the surfacing and putting it all together. It all serves a function under a theme for children’s development. Always be sure to create a hands-on, interactive learning experience for early education and sensory development for those with disabilities.

The child’s imagination will take it from there.

Angela Grego is the Owner of SYNLawn® Kansas City DBA Summit Flooring & Turf. (agrego@synlawn.com).

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Application of Current Standards to Natural Playgrounds

By Jeff Barber, CPSI

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n today’s playground industry, the term “natural playground” has become very popular. It’s used to describe what the end user is looking for as well as for referencing the designs offered by manufacturers. But, what exactly does natural playground mean?

Natural is defined as “existing in or caused by nature, not made or caused by humankind.” So, by definition, a natural playground can only be an untouched piece of wood, a meadow, a hill, etc. However, our newly evolved definition of natural playgrounds takes two basic forms: from a manufacturer’s perspective, it’s using wood, concrete, plastic and steel to create spaces that blend in or resemble items that are commonly found in nature; from a designer and architect’s perspective, it’s using natural elements, like rocks, plants, logs, trees, water, etc., to create an experience that is similar to the true definition above. However, these experiences are still created by humankind, which leads to the next point.

How do we apply the current ASTM standards and CPSC guidelines to either of these? For manufactured, natureinspired playgrounds, they should be applied exactly the same as any manufactured playground! Going through the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certification process ensures end users that what they are purchasing and installing is held to the highest standards available.

Even if the manufacturer does not go through IPEMA certification, the equipment should still pass a playground safety audit before being pressed into service.

When natural elements are used to create play spaces, the playground equipment still needs to be audited and inspected according to safety performance requirements for public-use playgrounds. The application of the standards and guidelines is dictated by the type of use, not by the type of equipment placed in the space. Simply because a designer choses to use rocks, boulders, logs, water and planting elements would not exempt the equipment from the application of these same standards. Major injuries can still be caused by entanglement, protrusions, crush and shear, falls, etc., and creating an exemption for any of the standards and/or guidelines for public-use playgrounds should not be acceptable.

However, applying these standards to natural elements sometimes becomes tricky. The shear definition for “materials and manufacture” can be argued when using an untreated log. My opinion is, that in all cases of designing natural playgrounds

using only natural elements, a design professional should be hired to oversee both the design and the construction to ensure that most, if not all, elements comply. For the things that do not comply, or physically cannot comply, the owner needs to understand the risk and assess if they want to take on that risk.

We all know there is no injury-free playground, and owners and public users should be aware of any risk before they take on this new, exciting space.

No matter what equipment is designed, purchased or installed, there are very important factors that must be considered. Start by looking at the most basic definition of the space you are creating. If you determine that the space is to be a playground for public use, then you should be aware of all things that apply. DOJ 2010 Standard for Accessible Design should be followed for creating the space to be accessible and inclusive. CPSC pub 325, ASTM1487 and ASTM1292, just to name a few, should also be the reference manuals used to make sure the public is safe. Natural playgrounds can be very important and exciting, so please keep creating!

Jeff Barber, CPSI, is the President of Playground Specialist Inc. (jeff@playspec.com).

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National Joint Powers Alliance® You exist to enrich lives Families gathering for an afternoon picnic.

Fitness groups coming together for a sweat session.

Young adults meeting up for pickup games of Frisbee or basketball.

Youth ball games and tournaments, rich with trials, triumphs and character-building moments.

Children climbing, swinging, sliding and jumping with joyous calls of “I did it!”

Toddlers waddling through the cooling waters of a community splash pad, taking in the sensation of sunshine and water play.

These moments are why you exist and why our parks and recreation departments are a vital part of happy and healthy communities. Safe and engaging spaces promote activity, foster connection and help protect our environment.

National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA) exists to serve you and make your visions reality.

Who is NJPA? NJPA is a public agency, governed by a board of directors and driven to provide efficient public service through our national cooperative contract purchasing program. The needs of our members and our desire to effectively serve you lead our commitment and overall efforts as together we face the budget and purchasing challenges in the future.

Who can become an NJPA member?

Any government, education or nonprofit agency throughout the United States and Canada.

We exist to serve you and make your visions reality What is NJPA’s purpose?

Among other areas of serving members, NJPA creates nationMembership is free — join today! solutions on behalf of its al cooperative contract purchasing members. We strive to identify and understand member needs.

NJPAcoop.org Then, we research the industry for the best solutions and conduct a nationwide, competitive request for proposal (RFP) on Competitively solicited cooperative purchasing solutions behalf of our members.

This results in an opportunity for you to save time, money and resources, while purchasing the very best products, equipment and services that meet the unique needs of your agency. ®

Who are some of the current park and recreation vendors under contract?

Overall, NJPA has 200+ awarded vendors. In May 2017, NJPA announced 13 contract awards in its Parks and Recreation category. From playgrounds, rubber surfaces and splash pads, to skate parks, shade structures and ice arena equipment, NJPA 10

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members have a wide variety equipment within their grasp. awarded vendors: • American Ramp Company • Becker Arena Products • ClearSpan Fabric Structures • CXT Inc. • Landscape Structures • Northwest Rubber • PlayPower, Inc.

of recreation and playground Current Parks and Recreation • Poligon by PorterCorp • Rain Drop Products • Rubberecycle LLC • SofSurfaces • Spohn Ranch, Inc. • Zamboni

What about my local dealers?

You can buy local — yes, local. NJPA awards contracts at the manufacturer level, granting its dealer network across the country the ability to offer the contracted goods, services and pricing. This means you can support businesses in your community while benefiting from a nationally leveraged contract — a win-win!

How can my agency join?

Applying is quick and easy. Fill out the online application at njpa.co/joinParksRec, or request a paper application by calling our Membership Development Team at 888.894.1930.

How much does membership cost?

It’s free! Membership is no cost, no obligation and no liability.

For more information, contact our Membership Development Team.

Liz DeRuyck liz.deruyck@njpacoop.org | 218-895-4182 Duff Erholtz duff.erholtz@njpacoop.org | 218-894-5490 Nothing else is even close

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You exist to enrich lives

We exist to serve you and make your visions reality Membership is free — join today!

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Playground Safety: A Shared Responsibility

By Kenneth S. Kutska

[Editor’s note: The following is a slightly edited version of Kutska’s general overview of most of the changes to the American Society for Standards and Testing (ASTM) F1487-11: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use. A copy of the new 2017 version can be ordered online at www.astm.org. The full unedited version is available at http:// ow.ly/yFLV30cTShE.] The changes in playground equipment design and manufacturing techniques have brought about many innovative and cre12

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ative play opportunities not even thought of a few years ago.

Without stifling creativity, the new performance requirements address safety issues brought about by these advancements in design, materials and manufacturing. Designers and manufacturers have developed more inclusive play equipment, and a lot of this equipment is not static. As today’s designers continue to push the paradigm of what traditional equipment types can and should be, the thought of putting children in motion does raise safety concerns for many owner/operators.

Everyone involved in providing public play spaces has a re-

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sponsibility to create spaces that embrace the many different types of play experiences. This is best done when designers provide play opportunities with graduated levels of challenge offering various levels of risk. A well-designed play space provides an environment that facilitates a child’s development during self-directed free play. Equally as important is the responsibility for the safety of children when they overestimate or miscalculate their ability.

Risk Assessment Many owners/operators choose to work with outside consultants on the design, installation and inspection of equipment.

However, even with this contractual transfer of risk, the agency still has the primary responsibility for the safety of the public.

As stewards of public facilities, we need to consider all aspects of managing this generally unsupervised public environment.

Many children usually are not adequately supervised, so the biggest challenge for playground designers, manufacturers and owners throughout North America is the liability costs associated with almost any injury, regardless of the severity. What needs to change is the general public’s belief that parks are responsible for every child’s broken arm or leg.

New Scoping Statement on Assessing Risk The following information has been added in Section 1: Scope of the 2017 Standard, which now states in 1.6.1: The requirements in this standard are designed to mitigate the hazards typically presented by various types of equipment. New equipment may not specifically fit into the designated types listed in the standard; however, the designer and/or manufacturer shall use professional judgment to perform and document a hazard analysis and follow appropriate requirements to mitigate the hazards.

The following definition for “professional judgement,” along with requirements for any person who claims the playground equipment is in compliance with this standard, is directly related to this statement: ‘Professional judgment’ is defined as: The ability of an individual with current knowledge, skill or experience, or both, in the field of playgrounds/playground equipment design, use or operations, which enables the person to form an opinion or make a decision, or both, concerning a matter within that field of expertise.

“Section 5: General Requirements, states: Playground equipment represented as complying with this consumer safety performance specification shall meet all applicable requirements specified herein.

Anyone representing compliance with this specification shall keep such essential records as are necessary to document any claim that the requirements within this specification have been met.”

Considering these three statements, you can begin to understand the responsibilities of every party involved in creating a

playground, from concept through the day the playground is taken out of service. Owners/operators should not and cannot totally abdicate their responsibility for the public’s safety.

They need to understand their responsibility and that of others involved in the design, manufacture, installation, inspection, maintenance and repair of a playground.

Addition to Specific Equipment Performance Requirements Some of the more common terms used in this new standard can lead to confusion. For example, the last revision of this Standard redefined what a swing was and established the swing suspended component impact test, which addressed several safety concerns. The result has been the development of many new types of swinging experiences. Let’s look at two new definitions and a few of the new performance requirements for “Embankment Slide” and “Rotating Equipment.”

New Embankment Slide Definition Embankment slides have become more popular as designers attempt to minimize fall heights and the related surfacing requirements within the use zone. An embankment slide must follow the contour of the ground and at no point can the bottom of the slide chute be greater than 12 inches from the surrounding ground surface. The slide transition or entry platform may also be up to 12 inches above the surface and does not have use zone requirements. Even though the slide is no more than a foot off the underlying surface and the slide exit height cannot be greater than 15 inches above the exit surface, it still requires impact attenuating surfacing within the slide exit use zone.

The fall height, as it relates to protective surfacing requirements of an embankment slide, has been an area of concern for some time. Why does a free-standing slide have a fall height

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based on the height of the top of the slide bedway vertically measured to the protective surfacing below the slide exit?

It does not seem logical when the embankment slide bedway must not be more than 12 inches above the embankment. Since the vertical fall heights along the side of the embankment slide bedway are limited to 1 foot and the exit height cannot exceed 15 inches, the need to calculate fall height using the existing criteria for a free-standing slide did not make sense. The subcommittee agreed that the velocity of the user and subsequent impact at the exit required more consideration. The new requirement is based on the velocity and discharge forces at the exit. Other international playground standards recommend that the slide exit use zone for an embankment slide have a minimum 40-inch fall height. The current critical heightsurfacing requirements of F1292 state the critical height rating of the surfacing must be in full feet measurements. Therefore, the critical height of the impact attenuating surfacing within the slide exit use zone must be greater than or equal to 48 inches. The embankment slide exit must also end on a protective surfacing use zone that is not part of the embankment, as well as meet the requirements of the slide exit clearance zone.

New Rotating Equipment Definition Designers have pushed the envelope of creativity when it comes to the rotating equipment; however, the hazards have not changed. New types of rotating equipment that have emerged, and the ASTM F15.29 Subcommittee has identified the hazards associated with this type of equipment: ejection/falls to the surface, collisions with other users, impact with equipment and impact with adjacent equipment/ supports. The ASTM Subcommittee looked at the many new and different types of rotating equipment, and these new performance requirements are intended to address the above-mentioned safety issues. They make a distinction between rotating equipment intended to be sat on, stood on or hung from by the user’s hands and equipment, such as sand diggers and steering wheels, which does not rotate freely and is intended to be manually manipulated.

Previously, any rotating equipment with a diameter of less than or equal to 20 inches with designated play surfaces of less 14

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than or equal to 30 inches above the adjacent underlying surface can have overlapping 72-inch use zones. Rotating equipment with a diameter greater than 20 inches could not overlap any other use zone, but composite structures were allowed to have overlapping use zones. Clearance requirements have not been specifically addressed within the standard other than for a few types of equipment, such as swings and slides. Designers and manufacturers have been responsible for controlling clearance dimensions that would address the probability of the user impacting another part of the playground equipment, including adequate space for user circulation. So, why should rotating equipment attached to a composite structure be allowed without having to comply with the same clearance and use zone requirements for freestanding rotating equipment?

Rotating equipment is now defined as either vertical or horizontal, and most of the new requirements are based on the overall diameter of the equipment, not just the diameter of the platform. Rotating equipment that revolves repeatedly about either a vertical axis (merry-go-round) or horizontal axis (logroll) can be at different angles, provided certain clearance tolerances are met. It is the angle of the plane of rotation that differentiates the two types or rotating equipment. The deciding factor is the location of the fixed plane of rotation in relation to a point 45 degrees from horizontal.

This section also addresses rotating equipment which incorporates other climbing and/or rotating components on top of rotating equipment.

Vertical Rotating Equipment: Size Matters Rotating equipment with a maximum dimension greater than 20 inches measured from the axis of rotation to the outmost perimeter is key in applying these new requirements. In other words, the outermost diameter of the rotating equipment would be greater than 40 inches. Generally, it must have a perimeter that is approximately circular and within 2 inches between the minimum and maximum radii. Any component that extends beyond the outer perimeter shall be designed to minimize the likelihood of hazardous impact during use.

Rotating equipment with a maximum dimension less than or equal to 20 inches measured from the axis of rotation to the outmost perimeter may be noncircular in shape. Rotating equipment designed for climbing shall also meet the requirements for climbers.

Clearance and Use Zone Issues Accessible, barrier-free design has helped with the evolution of rotating play events. Historically, rotating equipment had to have a minimum underside clearance of 9 inches.

Now, rotating equipment platforms could be flush to the

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protective surfacing; however, there can be no gap greater than .312 inches measured in any direction between the platform and protective surfacing to eliminate crush and shear concerns. There are many other requirements related to the underside of any rigid rotating platform, but these new requirement pertain primarily to the equipment designers and manufacturers. Unfortunately, some owners may have installed some of the first prototypes of these rather new types of rotating equipment that were not previously covered by the ASTM F1487-11 and may no longer be in compliance with these new requirements. Most of these requirements are also triggered by the diameter of the rotating equipment’s widest platform dimension.

Clearance between the underside of the platform and the underlying playground surface has specific requirements based on the following clearance situations and dimensions: Rigid rotating platforms that are not flush to the protective surfacing must be free from abrupt changes that are rigid and hang below the overall thickness of the platform. The clearance between the rotating equipment that is not flush and, therefore, raised above protective surfacing has to be between 2.38 inches and 3.50 inches or greater than 9.0 inches above the underlying surface unless a protective skirt is provided. When a protective skirt is provided, it must be smooth and continuous, and tapered toward the axis of rotation to the identical clearance

previously mentioned. It’s recommended that rotating equipment within or on top of rotating equipment have a 21-inch clear area, free of rigid and nonrigid components, such as cables, netting and belting.

Vertical Rotating Equipment Use Zones The use zone for equipment with a maximum radii dimension less than or equal to 20 inches shall be no less than 72 inches from the perimeter of the play structure. Overlapping use zones are permissible if the adjacent fall height of each structure is less than or equal to 30 inches above the protective surface. If the adjacent fall height on either structure exceeds a height of 30 inches, the minimum distance between structures should be 108 inches.

The use zone for equipment with a maximum radii dimension greater than 20 inches which does not exceed speed limitation requirements shall be no less than 72 inches from the perimeter of the play structure and shall not overlap any other use zone. Rotating upper body equipment with a maximum radii less than or equal to 20 inches is exempt from both the ground clearance and speed limitation requirements. The use zone for equipment with a maximum radii dimension greater than 20 inches and which exceeds the speed limitation requirements must also have a use zone of no less than 108 inches from the perimeter of the play structure, including a

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requirements must also have a use zone of no less than 108 inches from the perimeter of the play structure, including a 72-inch use zone that shall not overlap the use zone of other play structures.

Single-user rotating equipment, such as sand diggers, that requires the user to maintain contact with the ground during play, has no individual use zone requirements. However, sufficient space is needed between all adjacent structures and individual play equipment for the purposes of play and circulation.

Horizontal Rotating Equipment Use Zones The use zone for equipment that rotates around a horizontal axis and has a designated play surface greater than 30 inches above the protective surface shall be no less than 72 inches from the perimeter of the play structure. The use zone for equipment that rotates around a horizontal axis and has a fall height of 30 inches or less above the protective surface, such as a log roll, shall be considered stationary play equipment.

No other play structure use zone shall overlap the use zone of equipment that rotates around a horizontal axis and has a fall height greater than 30 inches above the protective surface.

The fall height of horizontal rotating equipment shall be measured from the highest designated play surface and the protective surface below. The horizontal rotating equipment surface that is intended to be stood on shall have a designated playing surface less than or equal to 18 inches above the protective surfacing and provide hand gripping component(s), between 0.95 inches and 1.55 inches in diameter, to aid in mounting, dismounting and maintaining balance while in use. Horizontal rotating equipment is not recommended for use by preschool age children 2–5 years.

Suspended Components on Manipulative Play Components There have been many new types of manipulative play components with attached suspended components, particularly in the area of musical instruments. Existing performance requirements made compliance more difficult, especially for ground-level musical instruments. Pipe ends on chimes, tubes and other musical instruments no longer need to be capped so long as they pass the sharp edge test. Other suspended hazard requirements were modified to allow for connecting devices up to 24 inches long, such as cable or chain, necessary to operate the equipment, such as a small mallet, but not to be attached any higher than 27 inches above the underlying surface. These manipulative parts are also exempt from meeting the projection criteria using the large 3-inch protrusion gauge, since falling on or running into a larger projection that could damage internal organs in the child’s abdomen, are highly unlikely. The use of the smaller gauges still applies.

Flexible Climbing Components There are more flexible climbing components in the play environment as either free standing or part of a composite play structures. These flexible climbers generally are comprised of chain, cable or rope. The rigid components found on these play components are primarily intended for structural support and, for the most part, are not intended to be a climbing component.

Almost none of these structural support components would fit the current handrail and hold requirements. Likewise, almost none of the flexible climbing components are made of materials that fit within the current handhold dimension of 0.95 to 1.55 inches. Flexible hand-gripping climbing components must be between 0.62 and 1.55 inches and must be securely connected at both ends. When they are connected to the ground, the anchoring device shall be beneath the base of the minimum required depth of the protective surfacing material or the anchoring device must be vertically shielded. When unitary surfacing material is used, a maintenance access opening is permissible, provided that the anchoring device is not accessible when tested with the 3.5 to 3 inches protrusion gauge.

Some cable nets are more susceptible to stretching over time and require some tension adjustment. Tensioning devices are not considered to be part of the anchoring device.

Changes to Other Specific Equipment Type Requirements Slides The slope of the slide exit region can now be as much as minus 10 degrees as measured from horizontal. This should help mitigate drainage and user exiting issues.

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Swings Traditionally, multi-occupancy swings that were impact concerns were more of a suspended “park bench” or a “2-person glider type,” commonly found in residential playgrounds. Up until 2011, multi-axis swings were considered to be similar to a tire swing. Starting in 2011, single axis (to-fro) multi-occupancy swings with only one per bay were allowed. This revised standard exempts single axis suspended elements intended for a maximum of two users from this requirement.

Roofs and Other Shade Structures Versus Overhead Obstructions These structures must maintain a clearance above the protective surfacing within the use zone of a swing of X + 42 inches, where X is the distance from the pivot point of the swing to the underlying protective surface. Roofs that are an integral part of a play structure and that are less than 84 inches above the designated play surface shall contain no designated play surfaces, and their support members shall be designed to discourage climbing. Roofs or shade structures that conform to these requirements do not have a fall height requirement.

Playground Layout in Terms of “Play Functionally Linked” ASTM F1487 has previously addressed the acceptable distance between stepping forms based on child developmental factors and anthropometrics of the intended users, but there are many other types of stepping surfaces and climbers with stepping surfaces that, when placed adjacent to one another, are being labeled “play functionally linked.” This revision requires two or more adjacent play components, intended to be considered play functionally linked, to not be greater than 12 inches apart for 2 to 5 year olds and 18 inches for 5 to 12 year olds. These dimensions are measured edge to edge between the adjacent stepping surfaces and address the stepping capabilities when there is a change in elevation between adjacent stepping surface elevations.

WARNING! ASTM F1487 does not specifically address or differentiate between stepping and climbing surfaces on adjacent play functionally linked play components. Designers, manufacturers and owners should consider how the intended user group will use the climbing equipment in relationship to other adjacent functionally linked stepping or climbing equipment and assess where the user may fall if they fail to use the climbing equipment as intended.

Playground Maintenance: It’s Your Duty The standard requires owners/operators to inspect, maintain and repair each play structure within the playground and the

impact attenuating surfacing in accordance to the designer/ manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions. To that end, the owner/operator shall make periodic inspections of each play structure and remove any extraneous materials from the equipment or impact attenuating surfacing that could cause injury, infection or disease. This could include litter, blood-borne pathogens, wildlife excrement and ropes tied to play equipment.

The owner/operator must also establish and maintain detailed installation, assembly, inspection, maintenance and repair records for each public-use playground equipment area.

Section 11 of this standard details who is responsible for providing most of the information necessary to fulfill the above documentation requirement.

Kenneth S. Kutska is the Executive Director of IPSI, LLC, and is also the Chair of the ASTM F15.29 subcommittee.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Miracle Recreation Equipment Company: Designed to Thrill

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iracle is one of the nation’s first and most innovative playground equipment manufacturers. We began shaping the future of play in 1927 when our founder Johnnie Ahrens created the Whirl — a tilting, kid-powered merry-go-round — based on the timeless insight that, “Kids want action.”

That same inspiration has driven 90 years of innovation, including the introductions of the first fiberglass slide (1963), the 25-foot Mega Tower® (2000s) and the Avalanche Inclusive Slide (2015). Our latest advance, the Extreme Generation adventure playground, delivers challenging physical events for kids seeking extreme play. Its design brings play to new heights, with innovative, fully enclosed skyways that provide elaborate rope-course-inspired activities far above ground, safely adding an element of perceived risk to any play space.

Innovations like these make Miracle an industry leader, specializing in cutting-edge custom configurations and inclusive play for parks, schools, churches, communities and other large-scale projects. But, Miracle doesn’t just build playgrounds. We push the boundaries of play, constantly designing adrenaline-boosting playgrounds that pack more thrills, imagination and exploration into play spaces for children of all ages and abilities 18

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We start by asking, “How can we make this more fun and more thrilling for kids?” Our customizable Miracle playground structures and systems give you the freedom to select the perfect balance of playground components, activities, site amenities, fitness equipment, freestanding play products and anything else needed to build exciting play spaces that bring families back year after year.

Unlike other suppliers, Miracle makes it easy to create custom playground solutions designed specifically for your brand, space, age group or budget. If you have something truly unique in mind, like an exciting marine- or nature-themed playground, or even a playground based on your unique city, our custom design studio can help bring your vision to life. Our designers come from deep backgrounds in architecture, industrial design, exhibit design and product design and work closely with sales representatives, architects and engineers to make sure you get exactly the playground you imagined.

Miracle Recreation is also a pioneer in designing active playgrounds that help kids develop their physical, social and cognitive abilities, as well as inclusive, ADA-compliant playgrounds that help kids of all ages and abilities enjoy playing together. Our playgrounds offer a variety of play opportunities that allow kids to explore, develop and integrate all their senses, with ramps and transfer points throughout that enable children of all abilities to participate in elevated and ground-level play.

A lot has changed in the years between the introductions of the Whirl and Extreme Generation, but Miracle Recreation remains committed to safety, integrity, service and quality at honest prices, giving kids and communities the right choice, right now. Together, we’re shaping the future of play.

888.458.2752 www.miracle-recreation.com

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E X T R E M E G E N E R AT I O N

E X T R E M E G E N E R AT I O N

E X T R E M E G E N E R AT I O N

TAKING THRILL TO NEW HEIGHTS Extreme Generation is a towering adventure playground with challenging physical events for children seeking extreme play! Its design brings play to new heights, with innovative, fully-enclosed skyways that provide elaborate rope course-inspired activities far above ground—adding an element of perceived risk to any play space.

Miracle-Recreation.com 1.888.458.2752 Miracle Recreation Equipment Company is a Division of PlayPower, Inc. Copyright ©2017 by PlayPower, Inc. All rights reserved

®

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Staring Lake Park Redesign Creates Memorable Space

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taring Lake Park, located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is an incredible destination park that boasts every amenity, from an amphitheater to a nature center and a walking and biking trail. With all of these amenities, Staring Lake appeals to a variety of people, residents and visitors alike, and serves as a space for everyone to enjoy.

After about 18 years, the city of Eden Prairie decided the playground at Staring Lake Park needed an update. The team, led by the Parks and Recreation Department and in partnership with WSB & Associates, St. Croix Recreation, the local Burke playground dealer, and a Burke Landscape Designer, transformed the existing play space into a multigenerational gathering space.

With the goal to create a theme that works with the amphitheater and offers an artistic flair, the Staring Lake Park project began. One of the design challenges is that the park is in a bowl and there is a hill leading out of the play area to another play area. Using Verto Climbers to naturally traverse the hill area and move from one play area to another provided a way to create a climbing challenge and subtly suggest a natural flow to the

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space. Another feature made possible by the unique topography of the park is the embankment slide. Kids love it and sliding provides a variety of developmental benefits and the unique use of the slide makes the space that much more engaging and fun.

With a robust area for imaginative play that includes a “stage,” Sound Garden musical space and a Playhouse, kids will develop the necessary social skills and use their imaginations to guide them in hours of cooperative play that helps them develop skills that transcend the playground. The individual areas for kids ages 2–5 and 5–12 engage them physically and help them exercise both body and mind.

The result of this is effort is an incredible, diverse play environment that enhances the entire park and community.

800.266.1250 www.bciburke.com

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Movement - Our purpose and our passion is to bring Play That Moves You to communities across the world. To inspire everyone, of all ages and abilities, to move, to develop, to socialize and to PLAY!

Join our Movement at bciburke.com

Trademark(s) are the property of BCI Burke Company. Š BCI Burke Company 2017. All Rights Reserved. 800-356-2070

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A Bold & Beautiful Fusion F

or years, playground trends have flip-flopped between ultra modern, urban design and a more natural/rustic aesthetic.

These trends tell a lot about the current state of play. We are caught between advancements in sleek, high-tech devices and a movement for more natural, green living. Surely there are benefits and beauty in both, so why view the opportunity in black and white? It’s time to meet in the middle.

The NU-edge® play system is a bold fusion showcasing the beauty and fun in both nature and urban play. With nature-inspired climbers and towering rooftops that mimic skyscrapers, NU-edge allows kids to jump into a world of discovery, imagination and adventure.

Natural From tree stumps and logs to rocks and wooden bridges, NU-edge provides all the play value of nature without all the maintenance. Naturtek™ composite resin material lets us mimic the natural look and feel while keeping products protected from the elements.

Urban NU-edge features metal trusses, roofs, accents and play components to simulate the distinct look of today’s cities, providing a

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modern contrast to the natural environment. Woven wire panels add visibility to decks while metal climbers challenge strength.

Edgy Today’s kids are looking for adventure and challenge — the kind of rush they get when they conquer a video game. NUedge offers excitement and perceived risk with overhead climbing, wall scaling and zip lining fun.

Nature Meets the Built Environment The NU-edge play system is the perfect new solution for any park. The details and architectural features of NU-edge are aesthetically pleasing and complement both rural and urban settings. Brand new play events that reflect country and city life will rekindle kids’ interest in playgrounds and beckon them to come outside — adventure is waiting.

Learn more at www.LittleTikesCommercial.com/NU-edge

www.LittleTikesCommercial.com 800.325.8828

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Where Nature Meets the Built Environment NU-edge® NU-edge® is designed around the striking dichotomy of nature and city life. With towering rooftops, nature-inspired play events, and non-linear climbing paths, this bold play system allows kids to jump into a world of discovery, imagination, and adventure—no matter where they live.

Learn more at LittleTikesCommercial.com/NUedge

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A Stunning New Waterfront Park with Dramatic Shade Canopies

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ullivan Park in Deerfield Beach, Florida, once an isolated and underutilized 3-acre waterfront park, has recently been revitalized into a vibrant intracoastal recreational area accessible by car or boat. The stateof-the-art park allows waterfront access from the busy intracoastal, complete with a small marina and floating docks, allowing boaters to safely dock their boats and enjoy the park.

The innovative Sullivan Park waterfront park redesign offers spectacular intracoastal views and includes two enclosed play areas for different age groups with play equipment for ages 2–5 years old and another for ages 5–12 years old. The park also integrates an interactive water feature, picnic pavilion, waterfront promenade, restrooms and access to the bridge leading to the city’s beachfront.

In order to attract attention to the exciting new park, project landscape architects Kirk Olney and Randy Hollingworth of Bermello Ajamil & Partners, worked with Shade Systems, Inc. of Ocala, Florida, to produce a network of multifunctional canopy systems to create a dramatic landmark and visual focal point on the waterfront.

The monumental shade structures above the playgrounds 24

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and picnic area frame spectacular viewpoints of the park from the water as well as the roadways, while also providing much needed shade shelter for parents and children from the heat and protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Mr. Hollingsworth, director of urban design and landscape architect of Sullivan Park, stated his firm always specifies shade structures for playground projects in Florida and emphasizes that they always have positive experiences with the high quality of Shade Systems products and working with the Shade Systems team.

Reviews of the park have been stellar. Parents and children alike love the impressive view, the variety of play equipment, and the presence of colorful shade canopies above the playgrounds and seating areas that provide cooling comfort and shade, allowing them to enjoy more time in the park in the summer sun.

All Shade Systems fabric shade structures feature CoolNet™ shade fabrics available in a variety of durable colors. “Sail” and Multi-Level “Sail” shade designs can be customized in an endless configuration of shapes and sizes. Shade Systems also offers electrical accommodations for night lighting for more dramatic evening appeal, adding focus to the area while also reinforcing environmental safety.

Shade Systems carries an extensive line of fabric shade structures and components, umbrellas, tents, canopies and sun shelters to cover playgrounds, bleachers, dugouts, sports fields, pool areas, water play and waterpark areas, concessions, parking areas and other outdoor spaces where protection is needed from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Visit Shade Systems on the web at www.shadesystemsinc.com to explore their quality sun protection products and see how environments can be transformed during the day and into evening hours.

800.609.6066 info@shadesystemsinc.com www.shadesystemsinc.com/

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√ All stainless steel hardware and cables for maximum corrosion resistance and long life.

√ Our ingenious One-Point ‘Sail’ fastening system makes canopy removal a breeze for the winter or severe storm.

√ Most comprehensive warranties in the industry.

1.800.609.6066 shadesystemsinc.com

never had it so cool

TM

√ CoolNet shade fabrics in your choice of 15 bright colors for up to 99% U.V. screening.

Shade

More specifiers choose Shade SystemsTM ‘Sail’ designs to protect children on playgrounds from the sun’s dangerous U.V. rays.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

How Well Do You Know Your Playground Math?

Ten children arrive to play at one of your traditional playgrounds.

How many become active and engaged?

A FEW TOPLINE FACTS: 1. Time in Nature is now a key health indicator on many Active Healthy Kids report cards 2. Children’s balance and agility scores, and focus/ attention spans in school improve if their playground is nature-rich — more nature = better outcomes 3. Aggressive behaviors, such as bullying, are reduced in direct proportion to the time they spend immersed in a natural setting

A

ccording to studies, only four of every 10 kids become fully engaged in play on the traditional plastic and steel while six are almost completely sedentary or left out.

The reason?

Traditional playgrounds are almost exclusively dedicated to large muscle play, which leaves the kids who are less fit or need more sensory engagement (more than half of them) sitting on the sidelines.

That’s a failing score.

So, how do you get all 10 children engaged and playing at your playgrounds? According to a growing number of childhood development experts and obesity researchers, the answer is Nature Play.

Not sure what Nature Play is? You’re not alone. That’s why world-renowned Nature Play expert, Adam Bienenstock and his team are crisscrossing the country delivering Training Intensives to park and recreation professionals.

As one of only a handful of international experts on the subject of Nature Play, Adam has appeared on national radio and television and in hundreds of talks and lectures internationally on the topic. He’s the founder and CEO of Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, one of the most respected playground design/ build companies in the world.

The information and expertise gathered over decades by his team of more than 40 internationally acclaimed playground designers, ECEs, safety experts and craftsmen form the foundation of the in-demand Training Intensive for Park and Recreation Professionals.

What will participants learn in a Bienenstock Training intensive?

• What Nature Play is and isn’t and why it’s important to your community • How to implement an ASTM-compliant Nature Play strategy in your city • The critical difference between risk and hazard in Nature Play Participants will create customized: • Tactics for achieving buy in from stakeholders on Nature Play • Ideas for altering existing playgrounds to make them more Nature Rich • Plans to foster collaboration between planning, forestry, parks, and recreation departments to leverage local capacity and resources To download Nature Play research articles and a Natural Playground Community Build Guidebook plus more information on Bienenstock Training Intensives near you, visit www. bienenstockplaygrounds.com/NRPA.

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Creating a Better Playground Experience for Children

By Rob Lockhart, CCPI, CPSI

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oday’s parents and caregivers are paying more attention to the choices of activities for their children — not just in structured activities but, increasingly, in free play.

Parents recognize the need to choose wisely and offer their children the best experience possible. This means that landscape architects, play space designers and decisionmakers are required to more carefully evaluate their choices for commercial playground equipment when preparing new playgrounds and schoolyards.

The motives for good activity choices in free play are many, starting with the need for children to be physically active to build fit and strong bodies. These incentives extend to the benefits of active play in promoting better academic success, continue in the indirect learning opportunities and include the enhancement of essential life skills, such as decision-making and self-confidence.

Physically, children’s daily activities are becoming more sedentary. An ever-growing volume of studies show alarming trends in children’s wellness, and childhood obesity is on the rise, along with a variety of illnesses that appear to be attributed to poor overall health. Experts seem to agree that the one key to solving these health issues is for children to participate in at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day.

Some proponents advocate for organized sports or for increased physical education programs in school. While these are activities that can contribute to the total amount of physical activity a child achieves in a given week, they cannot completely solve the problem. Many children lack interest in or aptitude for organized sports and even more will avoid any activity if they are told they must do it. The right kind of free play can present an environment that entices children to make their own choice to participate in activities that are inherently filled with beneficial physical activity. If children are just having fun, not following directions, they are more likely to be active for longer durations and for repeated periods.

The goals when designing play equipment or play spaces to generate this type of play activity should be to include elements that contribute to the development of coordination, flexibility, dexterity, balance, upper- and lower-body strength, core body strength and cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, children

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don’t want to go to the gym to work out; however, wise choices by playground equipment and play space designers can present play opportunities that offer most or even all of these key health benefits in the same play space.

More, Not Less Free Play Time The benefits of frequent and extended physical activity are not limited to the physical body. While a recent trend has been to reduce recess free play time to focus children more intensely on their studies, an increasing number of people and groups are speaking out about the benefits of the opposite course of action. Frequent short periods of active play can contribute to better learning. Active play, such as running around while pushing friends on a rotating climber or pumping legs to get the swing to go high, will literally “get the blood pumping.”

This increased blood flow brings refreshment to the entire body, most importantly by delivering an increased amount of well-oxygenated blood. The fresh flow of oxygenated blood in the brain increases cognitive abilities and generally contributes to a better learning experience. This “body refreshment” also tends to remove doldrums and physical attributes of stress, improving emotional stability and making students more receptive to lessons.

Play can also be more than “just play,” when the playground equipment has been designed to offer passive learning opportunities and give children more to gain from their play experience.

While traditional play structures were often designed with a linear flow-through plan that encourages users to simply climb up, go down and repeat, many wonderful creations are being designed using nets and flexible materials. These flexible materials are chosen partly because of the many lessons they contain. Inherent in their nature are scientific principles such as cause and effect, perpetual motion, equal and opposite reaction, as well as angles and momentum.

The responsibility we hold as adults is to encourage the development of our children, build their foundation of confidence and offer insight to guide them throughout their lives.

A good way to help children down this path is to allow them to think and make decisions, give them goals to achieve, let them fail and let them work to overcome their limitations. By presenting children with a plethora of play paths and the freedom to decide which they will follow, we let them choose their own way. Giving them practice in thoughtful consideration and decision-making by offering play equipment designed with many ways to use it helps them get ready to be leaders and trendsetters later in life. By giving them targets and goals that require effort to reach, such as climbing higher and higher in a tower net, we help to build their confidence to reach higher and farther as they continue to mature.

Matrix Nets: A Newer Form of Play Design The first playgrounds were little more than sandboxes. For many years, play spaces featured simple devices such as seesaws, carousels and tall swings. Most people remember playing on modular structures of stairs, decks and slides. One newer form of play design, matrix nets, offer a much better play experience for children by creating a constantly moving platform for play that has unlimited play choices and constant sensory feedback, which inherently encourages children to be more active. While pyramid-shaped or exterior-frame net climbers have become more common in the last two or three decades, even newer designs are now being seen: incredible amalgamations that might include aspects of those matrix products, as well as free-form, multiplane net climbers that can also incorporate swinging, swaying, spinning and more into adventures and really remove any form of linear, one-path play.

The best playgrounds will be very enticing to children, attracting them to go and explore everything there.

Another benefit of these newer creations is the ability for each play structure to allow users of all abilities to participate in the same play experience. While providing equipment targeted to those users with disabilities is a laudable step forward, the common practice is to provide specialty equipment targeted to disabilities; however, an even better resolution is for equipment that accommodates everyone at the same time and offers benefits for any user, according to their own desires and abilities.

The best playgrounds will be very enticing to children, attracting them to go and explore everything there. They will offer a variety of sensations and puzzles that keep children intrigued for long periods of time, and they will offer such an amazing experience that children are drawn to return again, making their own decision to leave behind computers or technology to just go out and play. Offering these unique and cutting-edge playgrounds made from modern materials and play equipment designs can allow play space designers and buyers to make an immense contribution to how our children grow, learn and develop, giving them a better foundation for their future. The experts agree — education is very important, but better play also matters.

Robert Lockhart, CCPI, CPSI, is the International Sales Director and Compliance Officer for Dynamo Playgrounds and a member of NRPA’s Play Area Advisory Panel (rob@dynamoindustries.com).

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Find a CPSI Course Near You The Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) certification program provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date training on playground safety issues, including hazard identification, equipment specifications, surfacing requirements and risk management methods. To get certified, find a course in your area and sign up today!

July 18–20

Raleigh, North Carolina

August

7–9 22–24

Wheat Ridge, Colorado Livermore, California

September

6–8 13–15 13–15 18–20 20–22 23–25 27–29

Honolulu, Hawaii Leesburg, Virginia Saratoga Springs, New York Griffin, Georgia Dublin, Ohio New Orleans, Louisiana Grand Rapids, Michigan

October

3–5 11–13 16–18 17–19 24–26

Homewood, Illinois Jersey City, New Jersey College Station, Texas Statesville, North Carolina Phoenix, Arizona

November

1–3

1–3

6–8

7–9 14–16

15-17 29–Dec 1

North Salt Lake, Utah Lexington, South Carolina TBD, Indiana Riverside, California Kansas City, Missouri Winter Park, Florida Auburn, Washington

December

4–6

Enola, Pennsylvania

CPSI Course at the 2017 NRPA Annual Conference We’re hosting a CPSI course this September, in conjunction with the NRPA Annual Conference. If you plan to attend the conference in New Orleans, why not add on the CPSI course to get even more out of your trip? Registration for the conference is not required to attend the CPSI course and exam.

When: September 23-25, 2017 Where: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans, Louisiana Learn More at www.nrpa.org/Conference

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Finishing Touches

ProPlay and ProPlayMP form part of the shock-absorbing, low-maintenance surfaces provided by Schmitz Foam Products. ProPlay, Safety and Drainage underlayment for Playgrounds and multipurpose fields!

Check us out Proplayus.com or schmitzfoam.com.

Log Carved Armchair — Each armchair, loveseat and couch is completely unique — hand carved from large tree stumps as one solid piece, adding a sense of awe and amazement.

Playground Guardian offers a full-range of on-site safety inspection services, as well as inspection software to help park and recreation departments and municipalities monitor and maintain their parks and playgrounds. Our certified inspectors have performed thousands of playground inspections across the nation.

Log Jam — The Log Jam play system provides custom play value without the custom price, and is expandable to fit your needs. It offers varied sized logs tied together in a unique, artistic configuration that encourages climbing and social play.

http://playgroundguardian.com info@playgroundguardian.com

800.306.3319 NaturesInstruments.com

The Creative Playthings Composite Commercial line features endless design capabilities and, with very little maintenance, will last for decades! Every Composite Commercial Playground is backed by a 25year warranty.

Utility Cloud provides the latest asset and data management technology with geo-locating that can be used to track park resources, like tree inspections and park bench repairs. Increase the longevity of the assets and achieve long-term savings for the local organization.

COMMERCIAL

800.306.3319 NaturesInstruments.com

www.creativeplaythings.com customerservice@creativeplaythings. com

See more at http://utilitycloud.us/ industries/parks-and-recreation. support@utilitycloud.us 866.659.4724

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Advertiser Index Burke............................................20, 21

Creative Playthings...........................31

Little Tikes....................................22, 23

Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds.................................26, 27

Greenfields Outdoor Fitness........... 2, 3

Miracle..........................................18, 19

Landscape Structures, Inc.............C2, 1

National Joint Powers Alliance...10, 11

Cre8Play........................................... 6, 7

Nature’s Instruments.........................31 Playground Guardian........................31 Playworld.....................................C3, C4 Schmitz Foam Products.....................31 Shade Systems.............................24, 25 SwingSetMall.com.............................32 Utility Cloud.......................................31 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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wingSetMall.com has been in the business of bringing playground fun to families, parks, schools and churches across the world since 1989. Our customers know us best for our expert and knowledgeable advice and superior customer service that puts us above our competitors.

With nearly 1,000 products in our store (and growing), we are proud to be the largest provider of swing set parts and accessories online — from swings, slides and hardware, to larger commercial playground components and structures. We are dedicated to offering you the best equipment at guaranteed low prices, with Free Shipping on most orders over $99 shipped to the contiguous USA!

www.swingsetmall.com 800.985.7659 32

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Playworld

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layworld believes the world needs play. So, we see ourselves as more than just a playground and outdoor fitness equipment manufacturer. Since 1971, it’s been our mission to empower kids, promote health and unite communities through play. Our products are fueled by child development research, inclusive thinking and creativity, and backed by premium-quality materials and industry-leading standards.

Our Unity® Collection of freestanding products was inspired by the beloved playground classics, like jungle gyms, teeter totters, merry-go-rounds and more. But times have changed, so we’ve amped up the fun and made it easier for everyone to play along. Unity products offer more opportunities for face-to-face interaction and collaboration.

From cooperative motion play events, like SpinR, RockR, Teeter Tunnel™ and Hoopla Swing, to climbing challenges

and hangouts, like Canopy, Dome, Slide Climber, Steppers and Rushmore™, this collection is sure to get kids back outside and playing together again.

For more information about Playworld’s products or inclusive efforts, visit www.Playworld.com.

800-233-8404 Playworld.com

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Inspired

by Nature Built for Play.

The outdoors has become uncharted territory for today’s children. Now you can introduce them to nature play in a familiar, friendly way—even if there’s no actual trees or rocks around.

Our nature-inspired play products mimic natural textures, colors, and scale—offering all the play Boulder Climber

value and aesthetics of nature without all the maintenance. Even in a more rural, wooded park these components provide a safe, but exciting outlet for outdoor play.

Playworld.com/Nature-Inspired

Wood Pile