Design • Build • Play
Welcome! Dear Valued Customers, Thank you for taking the time to explore what we’re most passionate about: creating spaces where children, families, and communities can come together to play, grow, and connect. As a second-generation, family-owned business, we believe success comes from keeping our word, standing behind our work, and valuing the people and relationships behind every project. My father built Midstates Recreation on those principles, and I am proud to carry them forward. We understand that recreation spaces are significant investments that bring lasting value to a community. Whether we’re supporting a landscape architect’s vision or working directly with a community, our experience, expertise, and exceptional range of products allow us to create innovative spaces for any setting. From a single play structure to a complete multi-generational recreation destination, our team provides dedicated support every step of the way. This catalog is more than a product guide. It’s an invitation to imagine what’s possible for your community. Thank you for trusting us to be your playground people. We’re honored to work alongside you and bring your vision to life. Warm regards,
Chief Operating Officer
MIDSTATES RECREATION
WHO WE ARE Midstates Recreation is a family-owned dealer, designer, and installer of commercial playground, fitness, and musical equipment, as well as shelters, shade, and site amenities in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. Our team of experts develop innovative and inclusive recreation solutions for landscape architects, schools, parks, places of worship, and commercial campuses to build community and enhance quality of life throughout the region. We partner with industry-leading brands to ensure our customers are investing in the highest quality and most innovative products to inspire multi-generational play.
WE BELIEVE EXCELLENCE in providing our customers with excellent products and services with clear and ample communication.
QUALITY in providing comprehensive solutions that maximize your time and resources.
MULTI-GENERATIONAL inclusive playgrounds are spaces where children, families, and caregivers can connect and grow—side by side.
COMMUNITY that play spaces are essential components of thriving and vibrant communities.
RELATIONSHIPS that strong, genuine relationships are the foundation of our success.
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
2
8
RESEARCH PROVIDED BY
KEYS TO MULTIGENERATIONAL PLAY
1
2
3
PHYSICAL, SENSORY, & SOCIAL
PODS, ROOMS, & ZONES
UNITARY SURFACING
Create a rich play environment by offering a diverse range of activities across all three categories.
Develop specialized areas of play. This allows choices by a child who may be overstimulated by a noisy or very active area.
4
5
6
GROUPING OF ACTIVITIES
THE ‘COOLEST THING’
ROUTES & MANEUVERABILITY
Invite engagement between children of different abilities by locating similar activities close to one another.
7
1 23
MULTIPLE LEVELS OF CHALLENGE Choose equipment with a wide variety of challenge levels to provide appropriate involvement for everyone.
Identify the piece of equipment that you think children will be most excited about. Make sure that this activity is usable by everyone.
Surfacing can be divided into two groups: loose and unitary. Unitary surfacing allows people in wheelchairs to get to the play activities easily. *See surfacing guide on page 12
Routes through the play area should be wide enough for people in wheelchairs to pass one another, as well as enter, turn, and exit without difficulty.
8
SCAN TO LEARN MORE!
ELEVATED PLAY Make high decks a destination point with engaging play so everyone wants to climb or wheel themselves up there.
OUR TRUSTED
PARTNERS We partner with industry-leading brands to ensure our customers are investing in the highest quality and most innovative products to inspire multi-generational play.
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
4
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
COMMERCIAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
2025 PLAYWORLD® US AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Playworld exists to unite communities through innovative and multi-generational play opportunities for all. With decades of experience in playground design, Playworld creates engaging play environments that encourage exploration, creativity, and physical development.
Made in Lewisburg, PA
Founded in 1971 to be ideal for any site layout and budget
Inclusion-focused equipment that is designed for children with varying mobility, emotional, and intellectual needs
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
Earthscape is an award-winning wood playground company that combines landscape architecture, industrial design, engineering, and carpentry to bring brilliant playground concepts to life. Inspiring, natural playgrounds that offer physical challenges while fostering social interaction and creative play opportunities.
Made in Waterloo, Ontario
A new tree is planted for each one sustainably harvested
High resistance to rot, insects, disease, & wear
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
6
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
COMMERCIAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
Cre8Play’s designs are memorable and unmistakably unique. They operate as a design studio and fabrication partner, creating play environments tailored to the site, story, and audience. The result is intentional and impossible to replicate with off the shelf equipment.
Made in St. Louis Park, MN
Natural forms and finishes that integrate with landscape architecture and design goals
Custom play sculptures and artistic elements that blur the line between playground equipment and public art, helping create one-of-a-kind destinations
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
Berliner is a European play equipment manufacturer known for creating innovative rope play environments that inspire adventure, movement, and skill development. Their distinctive rope play equipment features patented technology like the Cloverleaf® connection system and can be found in 56 countries worldwide.
Made in Berlin, Germany
Patented Cloverleaf® connection helps maintain net integrity and simplifies repairs
Rope play encourages unstructured exploration and decision making as kids navigate intricate networks
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
8
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
COMMERCIAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
Innovative commercial playground manufacturing company formed by a partnership of leaders in the playground industry who are united by a shared mission: to provide meaningful solutions to play environments.
Made in Pennsylvania
Leverages cuttingedge technology and design principles
Creates evolving, durable and budgetfriendly products
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
COMMERCIAL FITNESS EQUIPMENT
TREKFIT creates state-of-the-art outdoor fitness equipment for active cities, schools, and public spaces that place a high value on the wellbeing of their residents and users.
ExoFit provides a full body, outdoor fitness gym to help people meet their physical goals. Their equipment is intutive to use, ensuring simple and accessible workouts for all.
Each picnic table adds 9% more users! National Study of Playgrounds, Studio Ludo
OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS
SITE AMENITIES
Coverworx creates custom shelter and gazebo solutions that stand the test of time. They’ve grown from a small operation to a trusted manufacturer across the nation to deliver high-quality products that protect and enhance spaces.
Nusser has crafted premium, German-made site furnishings for nearly 90 years, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern manufacturing to create durable, architecturally inspired solutions for public spaces.
Wabash Valley specializes in traditional site amenities that combine proven reliability with everyday functionality. Offering a wide range of customizable products, Wabash Valley is a trusted choice for creating welcoming parks, schools, campuses, and community spaces.
USA SHADE is a source for high-quality commercial shade structures. With in-house experts in Design, Engineering, Fabrication, Manufacturing, Project Management, and Construction, USA SHADE continues to strive to be a leader and innovator.
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
10
HOW WE WORK
Half of playground users are NOT children!
OUR PROCESS
National Study of Playgrounds, Studio Ludo
Midstates Recreation is committed to quality from concept to completion by building trusted and long-standing relationships with our partners. Our project team has more than100 years of collective experience in the recreation and construction industries and uses a design-build approach to maximize efficiency. We also support playground safety through Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) training, hosting certification courses and maintaining CPSI-certified team members on staff. Our in-house design studio develops site plans, 3D renderings, and video to help you fully envision your project before it becomes reality.
1
4
Listening to your vision and goals and providing expert insights
Collaborative design development, including 2D & 3D imagery
2
5
Understanding budget & reviewing equipment options
Installation & project management
3
On-site visits & evaluation
6
Maintenance instructions, replacement parts, & warranty claims
CERTIFIED PLAYGROUND SAFETY INSPECTOR The Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) program, offered by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is the nation’s leading training on playground hazard identification and risk management. Rooted in CPSC Guidelines (1981) and ASTM Standards (1993), the certification equips professionals to assess risks, improve safety, and reduce liability. Certification requires passing a 100-question exam and is valid for three years.
HOW WE WORK
SAFETY SURFACING GUIDE The safety, accessibility, and well-being of playground users is heavily dependent on the type of surfacing used. With falls accounting for 70% of playground-related injuries, our team will assist you in identifying the most suitable surfacing for your playground. The surfacing under and around playground equipment is one of the most important factors in reducing the likelihood of life- threatening head injuries. Impact attenuating surfaces help reduce the risk of serious head injuries, though injuries such as broken limbs may still occur regardless of surfacing type.
POURED IN PLACE (PIP)
SYNTHETIC TURF
RUBBER MULCH
ENGINEERED WOOD FIBER (EWF)
$$$$
$$$$-$$$
$$$-$$
$ Most economical investment
SURFACING TYPE
COST
BEST FOR
KEY SELLING POINTS
Premium investment
Premium-to-high investment
High-to-mid investment
Unitary performance for city parks, destination playgrounds, wayfinding, themes or custom designs
Unitary performance for city parks, destination playgrounds, wayfinding, themes or custom designs with a natural look
A costlier loose-fill surfacing, manufactured from recycled rubber materials that won’t compact or decompose as quickly as EWF.
Excellent ADA Accesibility
Excellent ADA Accesibility
Meets minimum ADA requirements
Meets minimum ADA requirements
Impact attenuation for safety
Impact attenuation for safety
Impact attenuation for safety
Impact attenuation for safety
Unitary surfacing
Unitary surfacing
High design flexibility
Some design flexibility
Long-term performance
Long-term performance
Budget-friendly option, often used at schools and smaller parks.
Readily and widely available
DESIGN & AESTHETIC
Highly customizable: colors, graphics, logos, wayfinding, themed designs
Natural grass aesthetic; clean and modern look with some color and pattern options
Traditional mulch-like look with color options available to compliment playground colors
MAINTENANCE LEVEL
Low maintenace
Low–Moderate (occasional power brooming)
Moderate–High (routine raking & topping off required)
Traditional mulch look
Moderate–High (routine raking & topping off required)
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
12
OUR RECENT PROJECTS PORTFOLIO
Playgrounds with tower features have 17% more users! National Study of Playgrounds, Studio Ludo
TOWER PARK
HICKORY WOODS PARK
Ft. Thomas, KY
Delaware County, OH
WALDENBURG PARK
STERKEL PARK
CLEVELAND ZOO
Macomb Township, MI
Mansfield, OH
Cleveland, OH
KEPHART PARK
WADSWORTH PARK
HOLLIDAY PARK
Bargersville, IN
Wadsworth, OH
Indianapolis, IN
BEACHWOOD PARK
ALBERTA O. JONES PARK
Beachwood, OH
Louisville, KY
FREDERICK DOUGLASS PARK
MCNAMARA PARK
Indianapolis, IN
Genoa Township, OH
WEST PARK
NORTH ROAD PARK
HIAWATHA ELEMENTARY
Carmel, IN
Orange Township, OH
Okemos, MI
BEECHWOODS PARK
LOU DENNIS PARK
YWCA COLUMBUS PLAYGROUND
Southfield, MI
Newburgh, IN
Columbus, OH
INFO@MIDSTATESRECREATION.COM • (800) 637-4440
14
1279 Hazelton-Etna Rd. SW Pataskala, OH 43062
1060 N. Capitol Ave., Ste. 3-101 Indianapolis, IN 46204
Proudly serving Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio (800) 367-4440 | Info@MidstatesRecreation.com
www.MidstatesRecreation.com