School Playground Equipment: Building a playground as a community

Those who work on a community built school playground equipment project gain a sense of ownership and responsibility toward the finished project, and the pride felt by the volunteers in their accomplishment translates into pride toward the school or the community. Volunteers learn new skills, meet new people, enhance their sense of belonging and make an important connection to the community. When people work together in the spirit of cooperation for the benefit of the community as a whole, the outcome can only be a positive one, and the project a successful one.

To make a Community Built Playground successful remember the 5 P’s: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. The communication between playground representative and client is very important. These projects are not a simple task. The majority of these projects will cost major fundraising dollars or a successful grant application. Plus these builds are typically done in one weekend to avoid disruptions in our busy work weeks. You want to get it right.

The list below is a few items of many to consider when building your community or school playground equipment, so you and your contractor can get the job done correctly.

1. All gas, water, electrical, cable and sprinkler lines are to be marked before any digging is started?

2. Check all documents to be sure equipment, measurements, top of surfacing and all information coincides?

3 How, where, and who will unload, store and secure the playground equipment and playground surfacing?

4 Are there clear written directions, specifications, and drawings to place and build the playground?

5. Can the construction site be accessed safely by the tractors, trucks, and other heavy equipment?

6. Is the ground level? Playgrounds are generally designed to sit on a level surface?

7. How and who will be responsible to secure the construction site from the public until after the cement has cured and the protective surfacing is installed?

8. Has the safety surfacing been scheduled to arrive as soon as the playground equipment concrete has been poured?

9. How will the footing dirt and or excavation dirt be disposed of?

10. How will packing and shipping waste materials be disposed of?

11. Where is the water, electricity and restrooms for the Volunteers?

To learn more about building school playground equipment, visit http://www.cvsnider.com