Out Is In At Seven Seas Park

More and more, our neighborhood parks are playing a central role in our community activities and social lives.  July is Park & Recreation month, a perfect time to get out and visit these neighborhood treasures and reflect on parks’ significance in our daily lives.  After home, school, and church, where do many of us likely spend most of our time?... Read More »

Rancho Cordova Sunridge Park Splashpad

Last week, Ross Recreation Staff traveled to Sunridge Park in Rancho Cordova near Sacramento to see our newest Vortex Splashpad, and to get in-depth product training from Kevin Spence, Vortex’ lead systems’ engineer and Western Regional manager. Present with Kevin at the training were Judy Ogburn, Tara Bartosch, Alex Hailey, Casey Hilbert, Bob Hanes, Ross’ Vortex- certified Construction Manager, and... Read More »

Lattice Educational Services

As Autism Awareness Month draws to a close we at Ross are able to really reflect on the importance of inclusive play and the value it brings to our communities. At Ross Recreation we are committed to helping create play spaces that include children of all abilities and provide accessibility and education for special needs and disabled children. Over the... Read More »

Creating a Rooftop Playscape

This past winter, our Construction Services group really showed their stuff. Working closely with the Emerald Fund property management team, Ross Recreation’s Bob Hanes and Landscape Structures’ Engineering Department devised a creative way to build an exciting rooftop play space for Rincon Green, one of San Francisco’s new sustainably constructed downtown apartment communities. Located in the South of Market area,... Read More »

Visitacion Valley School Playground Safety Seminar

This month I had the opportunity to meet with teachers and staff at Visicacion Valley School in San Francisco to discuss playground safety. Ross Recreation, lead by our Construction Services Manager, Bob Hanes, had successfully renovated the school’s play area and the San Francisco Unified School District was anxious to have a safe and successful start when the new playground... Read More »

How A Park Can Change A Community

Over the years, I’ve come to notice the positive changes new playgrounds can often exert on neighborhoods. Parks that were once either underutilized, or the centers of violent or illegal activities, are transformed into places where families gather and children play. The benefits of this kind of transformation can be enormous: crime decreases, property values increase, local businesses often thrive,... Read More »

Shinsei Gardens

At Ross Recreation, we’re often reminded of our company mission: building and enriching our communities. This week, I had a personal tour of a special project in Alameda, CA that we were fortunate enough to have been involved with four years ago called Shinsei Gardens, an affordable housing community that houses a large number of our military veterans, some of... Read More »

Splashpads in the Community

When I travel to Portland to visit family and our Ross Oregon office, I’m always astounded at the number of small parks that feature splashpads. With Oregon’s reputation for cool, wet weather, it is a bit counterintuitive, but there the splashpads are; and particularly in summer when school is out and the weather warm and sunny (mostly), the splashpads are... Read More »

Years of Outdoor Fun for Penngrove Elementary Kids

Building long-term relationships is the centerpiece of our Mission Statement and what we do at Ross Recreation Equipment Company.  I was reminded of this recently here in Sonoma County when I was invited to Penngrove Elementary School’s playground grand opening.  Parents, teachers, Petaluma businesses, PG&E (a substantial donor) and other community members had joined forces to raise funds and dedicate... Read More »

New Chapter for this Historic Sonoma Plaza

This month, volunteer Sonoma Rotarians teamed up with the town of Sonoma and Ross Recreation Equipment to upgrade and refresh a popular Landscape Structures play structure on the historic Sonoma Plaza.  The plaza, a traditional town square and a source of regional pride for more than a century and a half, was the place where early settlers staged the Bear... Read More »

Designing Splashpads for Inclusive Play – Webinar

Want to learn more about inclusive splashpad design? Register now for Vortex’s upcoming informational webinar on practical tips to make sure your current or future Splashpad® is successfully designed with access and inclusive participation in mind. This session will cover: The value of Splashpads in communities Inclusive Play concepts Sensory processing and Splashpads How to achieve a universal design ADA... Read More »

Monte Rio School Makes Fitness A Priority

The Monte Rio School District in Sonoma County, California, is taking physical fitness seriously. Over the past three years, Monte Rio School has built a fun, fitness-driven Landscape Structures playground, and this summer installed an outdoor fitness course on campus that will serve the needs of the students and the greater community when school is not in session. This commitment... Read More »

Going Strong – Providing Decades of Play Value

Recently, the City of Santa Clara contacted Ross Recreation about the availability of replacement parts for two ancient Landscape Structures playgrounds: one at Carmichael Park and one at Rotary Park, both nearly thirty years old and according to the City, “Going strong”!  The old redwood playground equipment was officially discontinued by Landscape Structures in the late eighties, but parts for... Read More »

George “Rocky” Graham Park is Now Open!

On July 11th, the community of Marin City joined together to celebrate the grand opening of their new George “Rocky” Graham Park. Ross Recreation, along with many other organizations involved in the design and construction of the park, were on hand to join the local residents in the celebration. After several years of planning, it was wonderful to see the... Read More »

A Winner in Harsh Marine Environments

It’s no coincidence that many Landscape Structures play structures are found near the northern California and Oregon coast. Landscape Structures play equipment is the ideal choice for durability and longevity in harsh-on-metal marine environments because of the materials and finishes used in fabrication. 5” diameter vertical posts and beams are made of highly rust resistant aluminum, are primed with industrial... Read More »

Grass Without Limits

At Ross Recreation, we don’t take on new product lines lightly nor frequently, but when we do, it is for the long-term.  It is important that we are closely aligned with our manufacturing partners when it comes to quality expectations, innovative progress, life costing and customer support capabilities.  With that in mind, we are proud and excited about our recent partnership with ForeverLawn, a manufacturer of durable,... Read More »

Sheridan Elementary School Playground Safety Seminar

This month, Ross Recreation had the privilege of being a part of Sheridan Elementary School‘s safety seminar in San Francisco, CA! Playground safety seminars are an excellent way to get the students familiar with how each component is meant to be used, as well as a great opportunity to have the kids spend some time outside! We want to thank Simon... Read More »

“Natural Play” – What’s it all Mean?

Much is written today about the desirability of “natural” play environments and I suspect that that is because of well founded concern that children are spending less and less time outdoors exploring the natural world.  This unfortunate trend was well documented in the now famous 2005 book by Richard Louv called Last Child in the Woods, in which the author coins... Read More »

Building a Fitness-Focused Playground in Phases

Over time, the Loyola School PTA in Los Altos, California has gradually built a fitness-focused playground for their Upper Grade students. Constructed in phases spanning 10 years, the final phase features a new Netplex structure that complements existing fitness components. The initial equipment consisted mainly of monkey bars, overhead ladders, rings, and balance components and was designed by Ross Recreation... Read More »

The Value in Maintenance

This month Ross Recreation hosted a complimentary Landscape Structures’ Learning Academy Maintenance Seminar in Sacramento, CA.  With close to one hundred in attendance, the session included industry insight and hands-on information and techniques on playground repairs, risk management and graffiti removal techniques.  The seminar put a focus on the importance of proper and consistent maintenance and safety work for those individuals who... Read More »