We’re bringing play to a new dimension. Introducing Forma™, a sculptural take on traditional playstructures. Clean, modern and unlike anything else, Forma uses asymmetrical shapes, unique angles and a mix of materials to create play that looks and feels brand new. Clear sightlines makeit easy to see all the activity. Above, below, inside, and out, there’s so much to explore with Forma!
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Landscape Structures Hedra™
Hedra™ provides a world where the next move is always the right one. A world where kids can safely navigate via their own intuition and curiosity. Where experiences and activities can’t be counted, only created. Hedra offers the permission kids need to invent and reinvent routes, games, imaginary environments, and personal bests. It is one world with endless outcomes. The unique geometric configuration and continuous circuits create a hive of evolving play that encourages exploration. Kids enjoy novel play experiences, time after time.
Landscape Structures Quantis® A.2
Angular and sculptural, Landscape Structures Quantis® A.2 beckons kids ages 5 to 12 with its open format playscape and intriguing challenges that defy expectations. Here you’ll find dynamic play packaged in a compact geometric design that’s perfect for pocket parks or any small footprint area. A strategic belt bridge creates universal access by connecting two access points, each one at a different height. Kids can head to the Oodle® seat at the structure’s core, navigate across the Swiggle Stix® Bridge or tackle the overhead netting and molecular-style belting that offers built-in hand- and foot-holds. A compelling tubular arch encourages players to flex their climbing skills as they maneuver over, under, across, and up through naturally occurring geometric shapes on their way to the cool hangout spot above.
Landscape Structures Quantis® A.3
Landscape Structures Quantis® A.3 combines several types of dynamic play activities in its compact design. A solid-rung climbing experience is found in one arch of the climber, while those that want more of a challenge can use the flexible cable and belt climber found in the other arch. Additionally, there is a cable and rung ladder, Swiggle Stix® Bridge, Oodle® seat, and a comfortable transfer point on either end of the lower belt path ensuring that those who can leave their mobility devices have access to other play areas of the climber.
Building Community Through Inclusive Play
We want to share a very special project with you that showcases perfectly the reason why we have worked alongside communities for over 40 years to build playgrounds. Members of the Humboldt community understand that playgrounds are more than metal and plastic; they are places where people come together to meet their neighbors, turn strangers into friends, and let our differences fall away in the pursuit of good old-fashioned fun.
The Greenview Playground Project in Arcata was a true labor of love, supported by the entire Humboldt community. Community members, local businesses, contractors and local government came together to build a play space where people (not just kids!) of all ages and abilities would find a safe haven to play, relax and feel included and wanted. The initial vision was inspired by a local young man who wanted a place where he would be able to play in his wheelchair alongside his younger sisters at their neighborhood park.
From there this project took off and evolved to try to include something for every potentially forgotten member of the community; injured veterans who desire a place to relax and reflect, visually impaired or blind people who may have a hard time traversing a typical playground, kids and adults with autism or sensory processing disorders who benefit greatly from sensory stimulation, low-income community members who may not be able to afford a gym membership, but want a place to get healthy, and many others. Every piece of this park design was thought out and selected with care in the hopes that all kinds of people would be drawn together and that the community as a whole could learn and grow in this space.
Ross Recreation was honored to be involved with this group of forward thinking community members and to help them shape this project and the conversation about what a park can be for a community. This is the true definition of Building Community. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by and play. To learn more about inclusive play visit www.playlsi.com/inclusiveplay or contact our team of consultants.
Jim Roberts Day in Napa, California
On Saturday November 8th, Napa citizens gathered to watch as Napa’s mayor presented keys to the City to 91 year old Jim Roberts, who was about to lead his 68th playground construction project with his Kiwanis Club volunteers, this time at historic downtown Fuller Park. Later, the revitalized playground was dedicated and re-named Jim Roberts Playground. Attended by the mayor, fellow Kiwanians and other political luminaries, Jim was read a recent entry into the Congressional record that acknowledges and celebrates Jim’s many contributions to at risk youth and disabled children. Ross Recreation is proud and honored to have partnered with Jim over the past twenty years on 67 of his 68 playground projects in Napa County and congratulate him on all of his accomplishments.
New Replaces the Old at Dorotea Park
At Ross Recreation, we think a lot about what our brand promises, both to longtime customers and to new customers alike. More recently, we can thank one of our longtime customers, the City of Rohnert Park, for providing testimony to what we strive to do, the quality of our products and the way we do business.
In a recent City Council meeting, city staff proposed the approval of their recommendation to move forward with a design-build proposal from Ross Recreation for playground improvements at beautiful Dorotea Park using Landscape Structures play equipment.
The proposal from staff read:
“City staff has found Landscape Structure Playgrounds to be legally compliant, durable, and the highest quality craftsmanship. Since almost every park has the same high quality (Landscape Structures) playground equipment, repair and maintenance costs are lower than they otherwise would be due to savings from standardized parts and staff’s familiarity with the equipment.”
“Through ongoing maintenance and equipment evaluation, staff has determined that Landscape Structures playground equipment is reasonably priced and is the highest quality.”
The new playground equipment was purchased by the city using a pre-negotiated cooperative purchasing contract and replaced two Landscape Structures playgrounds that were from the early 90’s. The installation was completed at the end of June, ready for summer play. One of the highlights of the park’s new playground is the Global Motion, a rotating climber that is impressive both in its play value and its large, spherical presence.
~ Ewing Philbin, Ross Recreation
The Benefits of Being Outdoors
In the past, we have been proud to work with The Trust For Public Land (TPL), a national non-profit with a wonderful mission. In addition to playgrounds, TPL has lead the charge promoting the concept of urban “fitness zones”, a low-cost alternative to expensive gym memberships for low income families and adults. I have written before about “fitness zones” and the personal pleasures I find in exercising outdoors (https://www.rossrec.com/news/parks-and-playgrounds/a-move-outdoors-for-fitness/).
So it came as a pleasant surprise when, cooped up indoors again due to our wet winter, I received an excellent article from TPL about the many benefits – for kids and adults, too – of spending time outdoors.
The article summarized a number of recent scientific studies which show that being outdoors positively impacts emotional wellbeing as well as physical health. Specifically, the TPL article says that we feel calmer, more purposeful and compassionate after spending time outdoors. Being in nature also has a positive effect on concentration, and produced better health outcomes for people who live in cities. This is an article worth everyone’s attention!
~ Ewing Philbin, Owner of Ross Recreation
Back to the Future
One of my earliest meetings in 2017 was at Oak Avenue Elementary School in Los Altos, California, to discuss the expansion and enhancement of the existing kindergarten playground.
Oak Avenue remains a special place for me because it was one of my earliest experiences organizing a parent volunteer group for the installation over a single day of a large Landscape Structures playstructure. It was also one of my earliest collaborations with Landscape Structures, developing a master plan for the school’s then PTA showing how to build out their new playground in phases, as funds allowed.
That original Phase 1 playstructure, built by parents in 1987, still stands almost thirty years later, cosmetically worn in certain areas, but structurally rock solid and still offering students a great play space. After Phase 1, subsequent PTA’s added four additional phases to the play area over the the ensuing years, the latest being the much-loved Eclipse net climber dubbed “The Beehive” by students and teachers.
At my January meeting, I couldn’t help but think of the thousands of kids that have used that playground over the years. That first phase equipment cost $20,000 in 1987, and aside from minor modifications due to new access and safety standards, the District has spent very little to maintain the playground, a solid investment and a source of fitness, learning and fun for generations of Oak Avenue students.
~ Ewing Philbin, Owner of Ross Recreation
Award for Hillside Park
At their annual awards gala, the Sierra Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects gave Stantec Architecture their Honor Award for outstanding design work on Rancho Cordova’s exciting new Hillside Park. Ross Recreation is proud to have contributed Landscape Structures play equipment and a Classic Recreation shade structure to this extraordinary project. We also installed the extensive poured-in-place rubberized safety surfacing in the playground, which features unique hillside geometric shapes and climbers that compliment and embrace the unique topography of the site.
City of Napa declares Jim Roberts Day, October 6th, 2016
Thursday was officially proclaimed Jim Roberts Day by the City of Napa as a full house at the Elks Club packed the halls to celebrate Jim’s 90th birthday and his lifetime of service to children and community. Family, friends and colleagues gathered to hear of Jim’s numerous contributions to the well-being of young people, especially underserved and at-risk youth. To the Ross Recreation and Landscape Structures families, however, Jim is best known as having organized and built sixty-four playgrounds in the Napa Valley over the past twenty years!
It was a wonderful celebration and tribute to a unique and wonderful man – and a life well-lived. For more on Jim’s contributions to his community, there are a number of articles:
http://landscapeonline.com/research/article.php/2751
“Too Small to Fail” Comes to Oakland
As a part of our partnership with Landscape Structures and Too Small to Fail, Ross Recreation was thrilled to participate in launching the first public early literacy playground in Oakland at Willie Wilkins Park. Ross Recreation installed this playground in East Oakland in 2010 where it has served the surrounding community ever since. The toddler structure is a rainbow of colors and already included various activity panels to engage children, but as a part of our partnership with Too Small to Fail, we added conversation panels intended to promote children’s early language literacy. The panels include vibrant imagery and prompts such as “Let’s Talk About Food” and “Let’s Talk About Feelings” to stimulate dialogue between parents and their young preschoolers. The playground at Willie Wilkins Park now incorporates the Talking is Teaching materials into playground signage to prompt fun conversations, stories and songs while parents and children play together.
Willie Wilkins is the first public playground in Northern California that is a part of the “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” campaign and the event at the park was part of a larger kick off for the overall program in the Oakland community. In addition to Landscape Structures’ and Ross Recreation’s commitment to the “Play Time is Talk Time” portion of the early literacy program, Too Small To Fail has partnered with many other local organizations to help Oakland’s youngest residents achieve their highest goals. Included as additional partners in this event were Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, First 5 Alameda, the Golden State Warriors and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland, among many others.
As children and parents from the surrounding community filed into the park, they were excited to see what the day would hold. With talking, reading and singing at the heart of this program, it was only right that all three were included elements for the young attendees. In addition to lots of fun playtime on the updated play structure, the kids were first treated to music time where they were able to sing along with hip hop kids group Alphabet Rockers, who promote children’s learning and literacy through hip hop music. Following that, Golden State Warrior Adonal Foyle spent time playing with the kids and hosting story time, reading his children’s book Too Tall Foyle to the kids as they all sat around the playground.
Ross Recreation is proud to work with organizations such as Too Small To Fail to support our youngest community members and are thrilled that our playgrounds are able to have such an impact. They say that playgrounds are the first classrooms for children, and so we feel it is only appropriate that we do all we can to let our fun filled “classrooms” help children achieve and thrive.
Creatively Transforming Recreational Spaces
Recently, Casey Hilbert, Ross Recreation’s Central Coast sales representative, was asked to take on a challenging project in Soledad, California, and developed creative solutions, on time and on budget.
At Santa Elena Cooperative Housing in Soledad, Pacific Gas & Electric Company wanted to relocate an existing playground because the site was over a large utility line. PG&E’s Chris Long contacted Casey, and after site meetings and discussions with the Santa Elena community, it was decided to build a new playground over an existing basketball court. To reduce project costs, Casey recommended that the existing concrete slab from the basketball court be used as a sub-base for new artificial turf safety surfacing under the new play equipment.
Ultimately, at Casey’s suggestion, the new Landscape Structures playstructure was surface-mounted on the concrete slab and new ForeverLawn Playground Grass was installed over the existing concrete.
But what to do with the abandoned playground site? Casey recommended that the community consider a small artificial grass field, using low maintenance, drought-friendly ForeverLawn for recreation and ball games.
Both new recreation areas at Santa Elena Cooperative Housing are now heavily used and a big hit with residents.
~ Ewing Philbin, Owner of Ross Recreation
Project trends – Signature designs
People often ask me “What’s new in your industry?” Increasingly, our customers, especially city and county park departments, are asking for playground designs that are unique, not a cookie-cutter “one size fits all” approach. This can mean either a themed design (for example, agriculture, nature, frontier life) or something that speaks to local identity, history or story.
Oftentimes, if budgets allow, this can involve partnering closely with Landscape Structures’ custom design team in Delano, Minnesota. To better assess needs at the front end of the project, we will host a conference call with the customer and the design team to better understand project vision, goals, and objectives.
Let us help you with your next signature project!
~ Ewing Philbin, Owner of Ross Recreation
A Community Build Delivers A Newly Retrofitted Playground
Here at Ross Recreation, we often speak of the “Ross Difference”. Recently, Casey Hilbert, Ross Recreation’s South Coast sales representative helped organize a volunteer installation with Graves Elementary School, a small, forty student rural school with kindergarten through eight grade located outside Salinas, California.
Casey helped the school design a full retrofit to the original play equipment, removing all of the existing components and decks, so only the posts remained. The school had a local painter prime and repaint the posts to match the original powdercoat color. The goal was to to make the structure a continuous loop, somewhat like an obstacle course, but to still make it challenging enough for the seventh and eight grade kids.
Casey played on a collegiate U.S. national finalist rugby team and still plays the sport. When the school principal at Graves School had trouble mobilizing volunteers for the installation, Casey and his rugby mates came to the rescue and volunteered to finish the playground! They completed the retrofit of the existing fifteen year old Landscape Structures play equipment on time and budget. From re-using and retrofitting older equipment, to pitching in and volunteering to get the job done, this type of customer dedication is what makes up the Ross Difference.
~ Ewing Philbin, Owner of Ross Recreation
Tom Sawyer Island at Amelia Earhart Park
The community of Hialeah, Florida, wanted to create a playground that promoted outdoor adventure. They got what they wished for with this custom, nature-inspired PlayBooster® Netplex™. Recycled Wood-Grain Panels and a woodsy color scheme fit right into the landscape.
Watkins Regional Park
Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Wizard of Oz-custom themed playground! The playground design is a literary dream as it tells the story of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” from Auntie Em and Uncle Henry’s Kansas farm to the poppy field, Emerald City and Dorothy’s attempt to get home via hot air balloon. Even more, Dorothy’s ruby slippers were adapted to be playground slides! Kids of all ages and abilities will use their imaginations as they explore this destination playground, and the surrounding park.
Beard Park
Beard Park delivers a nature-inspired play experience to visitors ages 5 to 12. Multiple playground areas offer opportunities for kids to interact with natural looking equipment. From a custom log tunnel slide to Log Steppers, Log Balance Beam and The Pointe™ rock climber, the PlayBooster® play structure designs provide a unique play experience to all that visit.
Central Park at Maple Grove
Central Park of Maple Grove is home to some of the most innovative playground equipment in Minnesota. This unique playground design is made up of mostly customized pieces including a tower play structure with stacked tunnel slides, a net climber that resembles a crab trap, and rocks sculpted from concrete positioned around an Aeronet™ climber.
Industry Trends for 2016
People often ask what trends are happening in our industry. Looking back at 2015, I see four things, shifts in the marketplace that will persist and likely grow in the coming New Year.
UNIQUE PLAYGROUND DESIGN
Often nature-inspired, many of our playground designs are now driven by communities that wish to define what is historic or unique about the place they live. So we are asked to develop a theme that speaks to the unique history or legacy of that community. People want signature projects not cookie cutter playgrounds!
OUTDOOR FITNESS
I have written before about the growing trend in urban areas, particularly in under served communities, of so-called fitness zones. These are multigenerational, public outdoor areas dedicated to structured physical fitness, often with exercise stations. Groups, particularly The Trust For Public Lands, have popularized and championed this concept. People who can’t necessarily afford health club memberships benefit from fitness zones that are close to where they live and work.
COMMUNITY INSTALLATIONS
At Ross, we encourage and assist communities, schools, and municipalities to install playground and outdoor fitness equipment themselves, using our experienced, factory-certified installers. Project costs are dramatically lowered and community identity and spirit dramatically increased.
RETROFIT
Older Landscape Structures playstructures are being increasingly updated and expanded. Rather than filling up landfills, we are showing owners how to significantly increase the useful life of their playgrounds. From both a financial and environmental perspective, we think this makes good sense. Many of the structures we routinely retrofit are more than 20 years old!
Looking ahead to 2016, we see these trends continuing to build as our clients and Customers seek signature projects that are good for the environment and their communities!
By Ewing Philbin, Owner