Playground Q&A
Where’s the second playground located?
How were the 4 vendors selected? Are the playgrounds "safe"?
What design guidelines were the vendors given?
Are we installing “bark mulch” or a rubber surface?
Why are the playgrounds all the same colours?
Why did the vendors not include swings?
Why are the slides made of metal?
How long will it take to install the playground?
Will the playground be accessible for children with disabilities?
What about the natural playground?
How much money do we have today for the playground?
Will we receive any grants?
Where will the rest of the money come from?
View the four playground designs >
Where’s the second playground located?
The second playground is on the east side of the school in front of the grade 1 – 4 classrooms, and adjacent to the property on 36th Avenue. The playground will be installed in what is now the “gravel pit.”
How were the four vendors selected? Are the playgrounds "safe"?
The four vendors are chosen and approved by the Surrey School Board. We were allowed to contact only these four vendors.
All playgrounds are approved for children ages 5-12. The Surrey School District has among the highest and strictest standards when it comes to playground safety. The Committee also specifically asked the vendors to make sure the designs accommodated a wide range of ages, and not geared towards one age group. The majority of parents felt the same way, as was reflected in our first playground survey.
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What design guidelines were the vendors given?
We asked the vendors to design a playground based on the following criteria:
• Different than our current playground
• Lower entry and access points to accommodate all ages
• Structures that encourage balance, spinning, upper/lower body strength
• Ropes/nets
• A straight slide if it can be accommodated
• A circuit/connected feel for the main structure
• Fitness-like equipment (chins, parallels) for DPA
• Not too many single structures that allow only 1 - 2 children to play
• Sitting/socializing area (for parents or kids!)
If you want to see the results of the first playground survey that was used to guide these designs, you can still see it at http://www.rosemaryelementary.ca/2010/10/19/the-playground-survey-results-are-in/.
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Are we installing “bark mulch” or a rubber surface?
Rubber is great in a lot of ways, but not in price: a rubber surface costs 4-5x as much as the “bark mulch,” (which the vendors call “engineered wood fibre” or “Softfall”). In other words, around $40,000 just for the surfacing alone. The engineered wood is not only cheaper, it’s also somewhat safer in that it absorbs a child’s fall better than rubber.
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Why are the playgrounds all the same colours?
We were aiming for a neutral palette and one that was different than the first playground. We asked all vendors to draw up their designs in one palette of blue, green, and beige so children weren’t choosing based on their favourite colours.
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Why did the vendors not include swings?
Some of the initial concepts included swing sets. Although swings are favoured by some children (and parents), the swing sets themselves take up a huge amount of space due to the clearance required—up to half the playground for 6-8 swings. Given the size of our school, and to maximize the number of children who could enjoy the playground, we looked to equipment that could accommodate a larger number of children at one time.
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Why are the slides made of metal?
Plastic is not allowed on playgrounds (except on some of the panels) because the material is too easy to vandalize. So the slides do not grow too hot in the sun, they are oriented to the north or north-east.
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How long will it take to install the playground?
Once the kids have chosen the playground and the funds are in place, approval to installation is 8-12 weeks. Depending on fundraising efforts, the playground may or may not be phased. If we phase the playground, we could conceivably have a first phase installed before the end of the school year. However, with phasing, each time a new piece of equipment is brought in, there will be additional costs for removing the wood, shipping, fencing, and installation. Also, prices are typically guaranteed for 30 days, so the cost of the equipment may rise or fall over time due to fluctuations in the exchange rate or shipping charges.
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Will the playground be accessible for children with disabilities?
When people think of accessible playgrounds, often wheelchairs come to mind. However, accessible playgrounds, by their definition, need to accommodate students with disabilities ranging from autism to blindness. Wheelchair-bound students usually make up a small minority of disabled students when all disabilities are taken into consideration.
To have a playground approved as “accessible” by the School Board requires thousands of extra dollars in upgrades and modifications, including ramps, a sidewalk around the perimeter of the playground, and specific equipment.
After consulting with the vendors and Mr. Linklater, we felt that an “accessibility-aware” playground would be more viable. The vendors told us that the design of our playground (i.e. the level entry), though not 100 % ideal for wheelchairs, could accommodate them. Also, we asked that the equipment have many low access points and a number of spinning apparatus, which we were told by one of the vendors is therapeutic for students with autism. Our existing playground can also accommodate those children with disabilities in our school.
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What about the natural playground?
The response to the natural playground was overwhelmingly positive (almost 80% voters in favour). The space for the second playground is meant for fixed structures (as opposed to a garden), and it was noted that this playground is the first priority.
Once this playground is installed, however, there will be more resources (time, money, parent volunteers) to explore a natural playground.
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How much money do we have today for the playground?
We have approximately $30,000 for the playground the PAC’s bank account. The least expensive of these four playgrounds is around $83,000. Even if we phase the playgrounds by buying one piece of equipment at a time, we will need a large injection of funds before we can order any equipment.
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Will we receive any grants?
In the school’s first year, we received grants from the Provincial Government, the School District, and the City of Surrey Parks and Recreation department. These grants are not available now as they were one-time only disbursements. Grants may be available from local charities such as Kiwanis or Rotary Club.
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Where will the rest of the money come from?
Although general fundraising efforts are ongoing throughout the year, the cost of a new playground will require additional, larger-scale fundraising efforts, and requests for donations beyond our school community.
Once the kids have chosen a playground, the Playground Committee will be sending out a letter to the parents explaining how they can make a tax-free donation. Depending on parent response, and depending which design wins, we could conceivably have enough money to install phase 1.
Please note a fundraising committee has yet to be formed. Any parent is welcome to take on this important role and we can put you in touch with those who raised funds for the first playground for guidance.
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