The power of inclusivity on the playground is what helps bring children together, building great communities. By incorporating different play elements, children of all abilities can experience the same enjoyment during their play time. As Ross Recreation continues to promote inclusivity, the power of play and how best to design inclusive play spaces, our sales team has developed a few... Read More »
Ross Recreation is excited to announce that the first Netplex in California has been installed! The lucky school to lay claim to the first Netplex is Sand Hill School in Palo Alto. Sand Hill School is part of Children’s Health Council (CHC), a unique organization dedicated to children with ADHD and inattention, Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning challenges and anxiety and... Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
It’s not every day that I get a chance to have a playground tour with an expert in children’s special needs. But that’s just what happened recently when Anita Allardice, Principal and Program Director at Glankler Early Childhood Learning Center, graciously devoted part of her whirlwind morning to visit with me at her newly installed, Landscape Structures “Nature Themed” playground... Read More »
Mission District youngsters can now take a break from the summer heat with the newly opened Mission Playground, San Francisco’s first Vortex splashpad. The new splashpad features kid-activated bubblers and fountains. More young families are making this new outdoor recreational amenity a destination visit, enlivening and enriching this Mission District neighborhood. Splashpads are accessible to everyone and offer inclusive play... Read More »
Cookie-cutter playsystems with posts and elevated decks are beginning to give way to new innovative designs. Since the early 1970s, playgrounds have invariably featured composite playstructures with elevated decks. And while these traditional playsystems have their place, new design trends are increasingly breaking this traditional mold, offering users an array of functionally linked net climbers, fitness clusters, and independent slides.... Read More »
They say necessity is the mother of invention. In Napa, the realities of shrinking city budgets resulted in a very non-traditional alliance of municipal government, community volunteers, and “The Playground King.” The City of Napa, with Jon Bawden of Ross Recreation, had developed plans for a major renovation of the city’s large playground at Buhman Park. With growing budget cutbacks,... Read More »
Someone recently sent me an AARP article – yup, I’m a grandpa. The article touted the health benefits of multi-generational play for people of all ages. Over the years, I’ve come to intuitively believe that playgrounds aren’t just for kids, but in fact can be centers of healthy living for people of all ages and abilities. When Bonney and I... Read More »
Heading out to the ol’ ballgame just got a lot more fun for young Oakland A’s fans and their parents. Earlier this spring, the A’s asked Ross Recreation to help them remodel their Fun Zone on the Coliseum’s mezzanine section with a new play area featuring a customized Landscape Structures playstructure. Ross was there this weekend at the Ribbon Cutting,... Read More »