The new playground at Franklin Park is being built with accessibility in mind.
Amenities woven into the playground design provide opportunities for individuals utilizing mobility devices and include the ability to enter or interact with other children as they play and explore around them. Overall, the playground features are designed to appeal to the younger 2 to 5 age group as well as more challenging playground elements incorporated for older children ages 5 to 12-years-old.
In addition, a special bonded rubber fall material was installed underneath the playground – the surface is easy to navigate for people who use assistive devices and provides a soft surface for all playground users.
Slide Design
The stainless steel tunnel slide is designed to reflect heat and keep the sliding surface at a moderate temperature due to the fact that it’s shaded from the top surface of the tunnel to the bottom. According to the playground manufacturer, Landscape Structures, the slide exit is made of smooth concrete to provide a much lower temperature where the slide opens up at the bottom. Care is taken in the design to keep any areas that a child may come into contact with shaded and cool for safety. Landscape Structures has installed several of these slides at park playgrounds in other states, including in Mesa, Arizona and they have performed well in a variety of temperatures with no heat related concerns.
AMENITY DESCRIPTIONS
- Curva® Spinner
- The Curva® Spinner is a beautiful and fun addition to any play space. One child or multiple kids can ride around and around. The spinning motion offers vestibular stimulation and promotes experimentation with centrifugal force and cause-and-effect. For ages 5-12.
- Single Tower Hedra®
- The Hedra® Tower is for kids ages 5 to 12. As kids navigate the slides and gliders, climbers, tunnels and overhead events, they are encouraged to improvise and use their imaginations along the way. Custom Hedra® Towers deliver more height and age-appropriate challenge to older adventurers.
- Hedra® with Alpine® Slide
- The unique geometric configuration and continuous circuits create a hive of evolving play that encourages exploration. Kids enjoy novel play experiences, time after time. For ages 5-12.
- Smart Play Motion with Play Table
- The race track steals the show with toddlers and pre-schoolers on the Motion structure. While this play structure meets the technical specifications for ages 2-5, it was uniquely designed for kids ages 2-3. We recognize that there are huge developmental differences between a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old. By ages 4-5, many kids naturally gravitate to the “big kid” equipment on the playground. Motion is a smart choice for younger children, packing 16 activities into a compact space to keep them busy and entertained in a safe, developmentally-appropriate way. Plus its whimsical, modern design and affordable price make it an attractive add to your playground.
*Thanks to Landscape Structures for providing all of the above amenity descriptions.