August 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 49

Hot, Bright and Electric
Challenges (and solutions) in playground operations
By Jess Clarke

" T

here is no perfect surface. All have some type of issue. " That's the wizened sentiment of Jennifer Skulski, director of marketing and special projects for the National Center on
Accessibility at Indiana University. Fortunately, there are routes to the acceptable playgrounds.
" It's basically up to the playground owner to become informed about the issues with each type of surface, " she says. It begins before the purchase.

Playground operators should discuss
surface maintenance
with product manufacturers and others
who use the surface
they're considering. If
surfaces aren't maintained according to the
manufacturer's recommendations, the product warranty might
become void, so it's
important to read the
wa r ra nt y. According to the new federal
guidelines, a surface must be not only accessible, but it must be maintained as accessible. Regular inspections of surfacing
by experts are needed to detect damage
from sunlight, extreme temperatures, and
vandalism.
" When you're selecting the surface,
you really have to have a good understanding of what it takes, " Skulski says.
" New playground owners think a playground is a one-time purchase that you
install and then walk away from. You absolutely cannot do that. You've got to get
out there and look at your playground. "

Above and Below the Surface
Observation is just the first step in
maintenance.
For poured-in-place, or PIP, surfaces,

" As soon as you take
away the direct infrared
from the surface, all
you're dealing with
really is the ambient
temperature. "
Rolf Huber, President of
playground company Everplay

operators should sweep or blow off dirt
and debris and extract material with a
vacuum device if needed. Pressurewashing should be avoided because it
imbeds dirt into the surface, which can
harden and become less effective in
case of falls. PIP surfacing that cracks
or buckles should be removed and repoured to maintain accessibility.
Rubber tile surfaces expand and contract, and in contraction dirt can become
lodged in gaps between the tiles. " If the
dirt isn't swept or vacuumed off and it
becomes packed, you now basically
have an extremely hard plot, " says Rolf
Huber, president of Everplay, an Ontario,
Canada-based company that provides
poured-in-place playground surfaces.
If gaps between tiles are more than
half an inch, the surface won't meet

www.NRPA .ORG

requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. One option to reduce that
possibility is a tile system that's been engineered to minimize
gaps. Some surface
systems have interlocking edges, others are pinned, and
some have adhesives
to bind tiles.
Loose-fill surfaces
generally are cheaper but require more
maintenance than unitary surfacing. " It
might be 'pay me now or pay me later'. If
you have to keep replenishing loose fill,
you might actually be paying more over
time, " Skulski says.
Loose fill should be monitored regularly-as often as daily or weekly depending on use-for leveling, raking
and replenishing needs to meet safety
and accessibility standards. Regardless of whether the loose-fill surface is
made of engineered wood chips or another material, it must be compacted
enough to be firm and stable for accessibility. Unless the soil underneath it is
exceptionally porous, loose fill surfaces
requires proper drainage to eliminate
excess moisture that can hamper acceptable performance.

SEPTEMBER 2010

Parks & Recreation 47

August 2010 - Parks & Recreation

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