Playground Guide - 2019 - 24

Wheelchair users are able to successfully
navigate on poured-in-place surfacing to
fully access playground equipment.

dulate and dish out in high-traffic
spots, such as the surfaces at the
bottom of slides or beneath swings.
That said, no material is inherently
FRPSOLDQW 3,3 VXUIDFHV ZLWK H[cessive slopes are not compliant.
)XUWKHUPRUH 3,3 VXUIDFHV WKDW
have deteriorated - have cracked,
are gapping or have hardened from
years in the sun - may be neither
safe nor accessible.

Conclusions

Surfaces in the Real World
Outside of the research laboratory,
assessment of play surfaces relies on
simpler means of measurement to
determine whether a given surface
is accessible. Required ground-level
accessible routes must have:
* Vertical clearance - 80 inches
* Clear width - 60 inches
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&URVVVORSHVSHUFHQW
5DPSVORSHVSHUFHQW
0D[LPXP FKDQJHV LQ OHYHO
ïLQFK YHUWLFDO RU îLQFK EHYeled
* Gaps that allow passage of a
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* Within use zones surfaces that are
safe

Parks & Recreation

Whether using pour-in-place
3,3WLOHVDUWLILFLDOWXUI RUORRVHILOO
materials, such as engineered wood
ILEHU(:)FRQGLWLRQVWKDWGRQRW
meet all the above criteria are not
compliant. Unstable loose fill materials seldom comply with all of the
above criteria. This is not necessarily
due to the nature or characteristics
of materials, but, more likely, due
to the materials not being installed
per the manufacturer's instructions.
(:)IRUH[DPSOHLVUDUHO\LQVWDOOHG
as the manufacturer instructs, and
many instructions include the following warning:
Loose fill materials tend to un-

| 2 0 1 9 P L AYG R O U N D G U I D E | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

Whether you are designing a playground for a 7-year-old or 70-yearold person, it is critical to first determine which surface materials to
use and where to meet the ADA's
safe and accessible requirements.
Once identified, the materials must
be installed as instructed by the
manufacturer or it will not meet the
combined requirements for safety
DQGDFFHVVLELOLW\,QFKRRVLQJSOD\ground surface material, one must
consider not only its initial installation cost, but, most importantly, its
safety and accessibility for all individuals, regardless of age or ability.
Now who wants to go play on the
swings?

Geoff Ames is Executive Consultant
for Meeting the Challenge, Inc.
(games@mtc-inc.com).

http://www.TION.ORG

Playground Guide - 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Playground Guide - 2019