A Guide to Playgrounds & Park Furnishings

With so many people flocking to parks over the past year, it’s important to stay on top of trends and maintenance requirements. In our annual Guide to Playgrounds and Park Furnishings, we consider smart park planning, as well as the basic steps to building a playground, and selecting and maintaining site furnishings.

Going Green, Sustaining Momentum

Parks departments have an opportunity to step up and contribute to the health and success of their communities. Through new park approaches that adapt to the needs and realities of a post-COVID world and emphasize sustainability and inclusion, park designers are creating spaces that will serve more people, more effectively, well into the future.

Playgrounds From Start to Finish

Whether you are building a playground from the ground up or upgrading and re-imagining an existing space, there are some basic principles that experts say stakeholders should adhere to. These "basics" are the foundations of any building project: planning, funding, design, construction and, ultimately, sustainability.

If You Build It

As parks and open spaces experienced more visitors, the importance of site furnishings became even more evident. Site furnishings bring functionality and offer opportunities for social interaction, as well as shaping the identity of a space and creating orientation.

Entice the Adventurous

Fitness facilities, recreation centers and more are always looking for new and engaging ways to get people in the door and keep them coming back, and climbing walls and ninja courses provide that one-two punch of physical and mental stimulation, with a little adventure added into the mix.

Water Works

The process to keep the water safe involves constant diligence and knowledge in chemicals, sanitization methods, air handling, mechanical systems and more. And beyond the water there are many other maintenance considerations.

Firm Foundations

Survival of the fittest facilities is credited in great part to savvy managers who keep their facility doors open. Selecting the right flooring to maximize that continual use has been a critical component to their overall success.

Transforming a Historic Y

As part of the Gateway Region YMCA’s strategic plan and capital development initiative, the Bayer YMCA underwent a $2.5 million renovation, bringing its offerings in line with modern demand.

Taking Football Support to the Next Level

The Fertitta Football Complex at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, recently got an upgrade to its training center with more advanced equipment and flooring.

The NDPA: Working to Prevent Drowning

A year ago, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) found itself with just three weeks to transition its national conference to a virtual event, one of the first national conferences for the aquatics industry to make that transition and on a very tight timeline.