The way we play: a survey of 25 urban park districts reveals trends in playground development and upkeep.With gleaming skyscrapers soaring above the Texas prairie prairie Level or rolling grassland, especially that found in central North America. Decreasing amounts of rainfall, from 40 in. (100 cm) at the forested eastern edge to less than 12 in. , a thriving economy and a reputation for style and sophistication so·phis·ti·cate v. so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing, so·phis·ti·cates v.tr. 1. To cause to become less natural, especially to make less naive and more worldly. 2. , Dallas is a model of the dynamic American city. So, too, are the recreational facilities Noun 1. recreational facility - a public facility for recreation recreation facility facility, installation - a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry; "the assembly plant is an enormous facility" the city provides for its younger citizens. The City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department operates more than 220 playgrounds for the city's approximately 1.2 million residents, which places a playground in almost all of its neighborhoods. In addition to providing an ample number of playgrounds, the city also attempts to ensure that these playgrounds are safe and up-to-date. Dallas has an ongoing playground renovation program as part of its Capital Improvement Program, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Michael Hellman, manager of parks planning for the park and recreation department. Playground renovations are included in each four-year bond cycle. Approximately 50 playgrounds are completely renovated with new equipment and surfacing in each cycle. This allows the city to renovate about five percent of its playgrounds each year, roughly corresponding to the 15-to 20-year expected playground service life. The renovation program keeps Dallas' playgrounds in line with current safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory. and provides the latest play innovations for the city's children, says Hellman. "Our replacement program has been noticed by our citizens and shows in customer satisfaction surveys" he says. Dallas' approach to playgrounds is typical of most major urban park districts, as documented by a recent survey of these districts. During late 2005 and early 2006, Henderson Consulting Services Noun 1. consulting service - service provided by a professional advisor (e.g., a lawyer or doctor or CPA etc.) service - work done by one person or group that benefits another; "budget separately for goods and services" , Inc., a market research and consulting firm Noun 1. consulting firm - a firm of experts providing professional advice to an organization for a fee consulting company business firm, firm, house - the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; "he worked for a specializing in playgrounds and recreation, conducted a survey of playgrounds and playground planning in park districts in the country's 25 largest population centers. Districts were queried on the number of playgrounds in each district; plans for new playground construction and renovation of existing playgrounds during the next five years; and equipment and protective surfacing used and planned on district playgrounds. Number of Playgrounds Operated Each park district had an average of 218 playgrounds. The districts surveyed had between 85 and 990 playground facilities. As might be expected, the number of playgrounds operated generally followed the population of districts. Also of interest is the ratio of district population to number of district playgrounds, shown in Table A on page 36. Three of the six districts with more than 10,000 residents per playground were counties, which typically have fewer parks and playgrounds than cities. County playgrounds are also supplemented by playgrounds of other municipalities (e.g. cities) within their boundaries. If these three counties are eliminated, the average number of residents per playground decreases to 6,700 and the median number of residents per playground to 6,000. What do these numbers tell us about access to playgrounds in our nation's largest urban centers? Reference to some broad guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. may help answer this question. Recreation, Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines, published by NRPA NRPA National Recreation and Park Association NRPA Natural Resources Protective Association (Staten Island, NY) NRPA Niagara Regional Police Association (Canada) NRPA National Rifle and Pistol Association in 1990, classifies a "Neighborhood Park/Playground" as a facility servicing as many as 5,000 people. Most districts surveyed approached this figure--14 districts fell into the category of" less than 7,000 residents per playground." The median number of residents per playground was about 6,000. This would indicate that residents of most districts surveyed, like those in Dallas, indeed have access to a neighborhood playground. New and Renovated Playgrounds Playground Renovation More than a thousand miles from Dallas, in the historic city of Philadelphia, Penn., playground renovation is also a key element in the city's recreation program. Philadelphia renovates 15 to 20 playgrounds each year, according to Sam LePera, design and construction manager with the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. Most are completely renovated, with both equipment and surfacing being replaced, LePera says, with the remaining facilities having only new surfacing installed. Replacing worn and obsolete equipment and surfacing is also a top priority in his city, he explains. The playground renovation programs in Dallas and Philadelphia are mirrored in the survey results. Every district surveyed plans to renovate at least a few playgrounds during the next five years, with most planning at least 10 annual renovations. The average and median number of renovated playgrounds per district was 11. Playground renovation is usually part of an ongoing renovation program to replace aged equipment and surfacing to keep playgrounds up to current safety standards. As the Dallas Park District's Hellman noted, Dallas looks to completely renovate each of its playgrounds with new equipment and surfacing every 15 to 20 years, depending on use levels, wear and tear, vandalism The intentional and malicious destruction of or damage to the property of another. The intentional destruction of property is popularly referred to as vandalism. It includes behavior such as breaking windows, slashing tires, spray painting a wall with graffiti, and and other factors. This replacement cycle appears to be typical of major urban park districts, as Table B on this page shows. The data indicates that about half of the districts surveyed planned on renovating five percent or more of their existing playgrounds each year, equaling or exceeding a 20-year renovation cycle (20 years is generally considered the maximum expected service life for most playground equipment). Many districts with a planned annual renovation rate of less than five percent had recently renovated the majority of their playgrounds, obviating ob·vi·ate tr.v. ob·vi·at·ed, ob·vi·at·ing, ob·vi·ates To anticipate and dispose of effectively; render unnecessary. See Synonyms at prevent. the need for much renovation between 2006 and 2011. Bond issues were far and away the most common funding source (19 districts using) for playground renovation projects. Most districts, however, used more than one source to fund renovation. Other funding sources were operating budgets Noun 1. operating budget - a budget for current expenses as distinct from financial transactions or permanent improvements budget items, operating cost, operating expense, overhead - the expense of maintaining property (e.g. (five districts), community funds (four districts), federal community development block grants (four districts), state funds (two districts) and sales taxes sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge by the retailer, who remits the tax to the government. (two districts). Many districts are seeking creative ways to increase funding for playground renovation. For example in Dallas, its 2006 Bond Program established a neighborhood park partnership program, which will provide match funding to community organizations who want to raise funds for neighborhood park projects, such as playgrounds. Dallas Park District's Hellman says, "We have several privately funded playgrounds installed in our parks and want to encourage additional private funding with the Partnership Program." New Playgrounds While not as widespread as playground renovation, new playgrounds are also envisioned in many park districts during the next five years, most often as part of a new park. Table C (on the next page) summarizes new playground construction plans. New playground construction was particularly strong in the south and west, as Table D illustrates. Many districts in fast-growing large cities and counties in the south and west are planning new parks New Parks is an area in the city of Leicester, England. It is in the west of the city, close by the county border (west of which is Glenfield. South of New Parks is the Western Parks area, and to the east is the Newfound Pool area. and playgrounds to serve their rapidly increasing populations. John deBessonet is a parks planner in booming Harris County, Texas Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of 2000 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 3.4 million (though a 2006 estimate placed the population at nearly 3. . He says, "Harris County Harris County is the name of several counties in the United States:
Funding for new playground construction was very similar to that for playground renovation. Bond issues (16 districts) were the most popular funding source with most districts using multiple funding avenues. Other funding sources reported were developer funds (4 districts), community funds (4 districts), operating budgets (3 districts), state grants (3 districts), federal community development block grants (3 districts) and sales taxes (1 district). Playground Equipment and Protective Surfacing Playground Equipment The vast majority of districts (20) install both equipment for two- to five-year-olds and equipment for five- to 12-year-olds on most of their playgrounds. Some districts (four) used equipment for the latter group, although equipment for two- to five-year-olds was also provided when budgetary and space considerations allowed. These districts typically were in the largest population centers. One district installed equipment for both age groups in larger parks and only equipment for the younger group in smaller parks, an indication that this is what most communities in the district preferred. As do most districts in the survey, Dallas and Houston, Texas “Houston” redirects here. For other uses, see Houston (disambiguation). Houston (pronounced /'hjuːstən/) is the largest city in the state of Texas and the , and Philadelphia all install equipment for both two- to five-year-olds and five- to 12-year-olds in separate areas whenever possible. Hellman, deBessonet and LePera all agree that it is important to fop low the recommendations of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, playground safety standards and playground safety advocacy groups to provide different equipment for these age groups, reflecting their dramatically different physical, cognitive and social skills. According to Donna Thompson, director of the National Program for Playground Safety, "Providing age-appropriate equipment and separate play areas for children ages two to five and five to 12 is one of the most important elements of a safe playground." Protective Surfacing A wide variety of protective surfacing materials are installed on existing playgrounds, reflecting the many types of surfacing available. Poured in place (PIP) rubber surfacing--sometimes combined with loose fill surfaces--was most widely used. Engineered wood fiber (EWF EWF Earth Wind & Fire (band) EWF European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (formerly European Welding Federation EWF Enhanced Write Filter EWF Ears with Feet ) was also widely used. Most districts had more than one type of protective surfacing on playgrounds throughout their parks. Chart A (above) shows surfacing currently used by districts surveyed. While a wide variety of playground surfacing materials are currently used by large urban park districts, all are shock-absorbing materials, reflecting universal acknowledgement of the need for protective surfacing on playgrounds. Thompson says, "Shock-absorbing material under and around play equipment is essential to create a safe play environment." Protective surfacing planned for new and renovated playgrounds was similar to that on existing playgrounds, with poured-in-place rubber and engineered wood fiber the most popular surfacing materials. Chart B on page 38 shows types of surfacing planned for new and renovated playgrounds during the next five years and also shows types planned by districts in a similar 2003 survey. As the chart makes clear, most districts plan to use more than one type of surfacing; the choice usually dependent on accessibility, maintenance and budget requirements. It also shows that PIP has become the most frequently planned protective surfacing for large urban park district playgrounds, although loose fill materials, particularly engineered wood fiber, remain extremely popular. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Many districts opt for unitary unitary pertaining to a single object or individual. surfaces like PIP or tile tile, one of the ceramic products used in building, to which group brick and terra-cotta also belong. The term designates the finished baked clay—the material of a wide variety of units used in architecture and engineering, such as wall slabs or blocks, floor for their superior accessibility and low maintenance. The city of Philadelphia, for example, installs rubber tile or poured-in-place rubber surfacing on its approximately 180 playgrounds. Philadelphia's LePera says, "After considering the personnel resources needed to adequately maintain loose fill surfaces like engineered wood fiber on all of our playgrounds, the city opted for low-maintenance rubber surfacing." On the other hand many districts prefer the low initial cost and natural look of EWE Ewe (ā`vā,–wā), African people, numbering over 3 million, who live in SE Ghana, S Togo, and S Benin. When German Togoland was partitioned after World War I, the Ewe in that colony were divided between France and Britain. Hellman explains that engineered wood fiber's lower cost was the deciding factor in the decision to use it on the city's playgrounds and that EWF surfacing has been well received by the public, deBessonet also uses engineered wood fiber, citing EWF's economy, ADA Ada, city, United States Ada (ā`ə), city (1990 pop. 15,820), seat of Pontotoc co., S central Okla.; inc. 1904. It is a large cattle market and the center of a rich oil and ranch area. accessibility and relative longevity longevity (lŏnjĕv`ĭtē), term denoting the length or duration of the life of an animal or plant, often used to indicate an unusually long life. , requiring little maintenance. Summary and Conclusions Survey results, along with comments from park and recreation professionals, indicate that playgrounds are a vibrant and important part of the recreation equation in the nation's largest urban park districts. The majority of these sprawling urban metropolises are able to provide neighborhood playgrounds for most of their citizens. Also encouraging is the fact that all 25 of the districts surveyed have renovation programs to keep their playgrounds in good condition and up-to-date, with most having programs in place to renovate their playgrounds before the end of their useful service life. Many districts, particularly in the booming south and west, plan to build new parks and playgrounds during the next five years. Both new and renovated playgrounds are financed through a variety of sources, with bond funding the most popular funding source. A number of districts are also exploring innovative funding approaches. Not surprising is that these large districts follow the latest safety guidelines by installing age-appropriate equipment and protective surfacing on their playgrounds. The overwhelming majority are able to install equipment for both two-to-five and five-to-12 year olds. Poured-in-place rubber surfacing and engineered wood fiber are the most popular protective surfaces among large urban park districts. Both types of surface, when properly maintained and installed, meet government and industry guidelines for shock attenuation Loss of signal power in a transmission. Attenuation The reduction in level of a transmitted quantity as a function of a parameter, usually distance. It is applied mainly to acoustic or electromagnetic waves and is expressed as the ratio of power densities. and accessibility. Some may find it remarkable that, in light of the many challenges faced by our largest municipalities, their park and recreation departments are able to provide recreation opportunities for their youngest citizens, to renovate their playgrounds in compliance with the latest safety standards and guidelines, and to construct new playgrounds when required to meet the needs of their growing populations. Perhaps it's not so surprising after all, since all citizens, no matter their background, occupation or beliefs, were once children. According to Hellman, "Playgrounds are a critical element in the recreation mix for the City of Dallas." Harris County's John deBessonet says simply, "People love playgrounds!" For information on playground safety, visit www.nrpa.org/npsi. Park Districts Surveyed (Ranked by population served) Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, Calif. New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , N.Y. City of Los Angeles
Harris County, Texas Chicago, III. Miami-Dade County, Fla. Houston, Texas Philadelphia, Penn. Phoenix, Ariz. San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. , Calif. San Antonio, Texas “San Antonio” redirects here. For other uses, see San Antonio (disambiguation). San Antonio is the second most populous city in Texas, the third most populous metropolitan area in Texas, and is the seventh most populous city in the United States. As of the 2006 U.S. Dallas, Texas “Dallas” redirects here. For other uses, see Dallas (disambiguation). The City of Dallas (pronounced [ˈdæl.əs] or [ˈdæl. San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif. Detroit, Mich. Indianapolis, Ind. Jacksonville, Fla. San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Calif. Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital and the largest city of the American state of Ohio. Named for explorer Christopher Columbus, the city was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, and assumed the functions of state capital in 1816. Austin, Texas Memphis, Tenn. Baltimore, Md. Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas, 18th-largest city in the United States[1], and voted one of "America’s Most Livable Communities. Mecklenburg County Mecklenburg County is the name of two counties in the United States:
El Paso El Paso (ĕl pă`sō), city (1990 pop. 515,342), seat of El Paso co., extreme W Tex., on the Rio Grande opposite Juárez, Mex.; inc. 1873. , Texas Milwaukee County, Wise.
Table A. Residents/Playground
Average population per Number of
playground (in thousands) Districts Reporting
> 10 6
7.0-9.9 5
6.0-6.9 4
5.0-5.9 5
> 5.0 5
Mean (average) 9,900 residents/playground
Median (midpoint) 6,300 residents/playground
Table B. Planned Playground
Renovations per District
As a Percent of Total Playgrounds--2006-2001
Percent of Playgrounds to Number of
be Renovated Each Year Districts Reporting
1-5 percent 14
6-10 percent 7
11-12 percent 4
Mean (average) 6 percent renovated per year
Median (midpoint) 5 percent renovated per year
Table C. New Playground Construction
2006-2011
Number of New Playgrounds Number of
Planned 2006-2011 Districts Reporting
None 6
1-9 12
10-19 5
20-30 2
Mean (average) 7 new playgrounds planned
Median (midpoint) 6 new playgrounds planned
Table D. Regional New Playground
Construction Plans
2006-2011
Region Average Number of New
Playgrounds per District--2006-2011
Northeast 2
Southeast 7
Midwest 5
Southwest 11
West
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