What is community-built? Are community-built playgrounds safe? Is the wood safe?		How easy is this equipment to maintain? How long will the playground last? Why community-built?
What is community-built? For us, community-built refers to a process in which the community takes the lead role in designing and building a playground. Over the past 35 years, Learning Structures has first pioneered and then refined and optimized the community-built model. We have worked with over 100,000 volunteers in more than 600 communities. A true community-built playground will involve the community in all phases of playground design and construction. Children are involved in the process from the beginning, often suggesting innovative concepts for play and becoming the fulcrum for community participation. Volunteers are recruited from throughout the community, and most materials needed for construction are purchased locally. Through volunteerism and discounts or donations from local businesses, community-built playgrounds offer two or three times the play value than the factory model equipment. Equally important, community-built can celebrate "what's special" about a town or community. Often times, we can replicate or simulate a structure or event that represents something of historical or cultural significance to a community. From bridges, to clock towers, to lighthouses, our method provides true meaning to the users of the playground.
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Are community-built playgrounds safe? Learning Structures has been building safe, state-of-the-art, fun playgrounds for over 35 years. We do not offer clients a catalog of equipment from which to choose, we collaborate with our client communities to create imaginative play events and themes, and then custom design these structures using all the latest safety and accessibility guidelines as filters. Learning Structures complies with the American Society for Testing and Materials F-1487, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's "Handbook of Public Playground Safety Commission", and the Americans with Disabilities Act Advisory Guidelines.
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Is the wood safe? Yes, the wood is very safe. Learning Structures specifies wood rated as Dense Select Structural (DSS) Southern Yellow Pine, KDAT (kiln-dried after treatment.) This is the highest grade of lumber available and provides excellent characteristics that reduce maintenance. Of course, we only specify arsenic-free treatments for the wood. During construction, we will create a team to apply EPL wood sealer on the wood. This clear polymeric topcoat forms a barrier to water, sun and fungus and prevents direct contact with splinters. EPL creates a clear glossy finish with a plastic feel, keeping new wood looking new.
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How easy is this equipment to maintain? All play equipment requires maintenance. Since our playgrounds are constructed from locally obtained materials, the client has immediate access to replacement parts. No searching for catalogs and part numbers. Additionally, Learning Structures has developed a comprehensive maintenance program that will increase the longevity of the playground and we provide unlimited telephone support.
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How long will the playground last? Given the excellent quality of today's materials and proper care, your Learning Structures playground will last 25 years.
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Why community-built? Aside from the obvious reasons of stretching your play dollar while increasing quality and celebrating what makes your community special, there is the added benefit of building community. With community-built projects, the process is just as important as the product. Each of these unique projects provide an opportunity to reinforce social values and build social and human capital. The broad objective of custom designing and constructing a community-built playground that celebrates what makes a community special also builds friendships, mutual trust, and a self-reliance that form social capital and strengthens the lives of families and individuals. Our projects are the source of civic pride for many years and often serve as the basis for social networking and other community involvement projects. After 35 years of providing this service to clients, we have mastered the organizational process of community-built playgrounds...thus we are able to provide a general blueprint for this process to each of our clients and modify our process to meet their community-built strengths.