Back in the day when most of us were little kids, playgrounds largely consisted  of swing-sets, teeter-totters, some monkey bars, and maybe a metal slide or  two, along with the requisite basketball hoops and tetherball set-up.  

 Since then, playground equipment has come a very long way—gone are the colorless pieces of welded metal set up on merciless black asphalt.  Kids today get to play on all kinds of cool, interactive equipment, and if they  happen to take a spill, chances are their fall will be broken by several inches  of industrial-grade foam padding instead of concrete or pea-gravel.  

 Imagine offering the little tykes the opportunity to play on a custom-made  nautical-themed playground, a huge rocket ship, or the biggest dinosaur. “HOAs and other residential facilities are very much interested in playground  equipment as an amenity to attract and retain residents,” says Kevin Cook, sales director of Playworld Systems that distributes  playground equipment in Fort Myers. “In fact, the playground is often viewed as ‘the center of town’ for the community. The sculpted features bring whimsy and magic to the  playground to entice and engage in an unprecedented way—whether it’s a sky-high flower, rocket ship, tree fort or pirate ship.”  

 The New Wave

 Cook says the trend toward offering more interesting playground options really  started in the early 1980s. “Advances in materials and technology have led to a huge expansion in  opportunities for commercial playground equipment,” he says. “In the ‘90s, this was driven by federal and state regulations to eliminate  pressure-treated wood and by requirements related to safety.” Children can be exposed to arsenic through skin contact with pressure-treated  wood, or from touching the wood and then touching their mouths, ingesting the  poison and risking illness. It has also been found that over time, arsenic  leaches from the wood into the soil, presenting an environmental hazard as  well.  

 Another example of playground evolution is the shift away from the use of  polyvinyl chloride (PVC), an environmentally-unsound material used as both a  building material and sealant on equipment for many years, and which also poses  health risks. “Our alternative to traditional PVC coatings is environmentally-friendly,  long-lasting, thermoplastic Polyethylene (PE) coating that is 100% recyclable  and durable,” says Cook. “Eco-Armor coating averages a 38% lower carbon footprint than PVC coatings and is  safe to dispose of. Eco-Armor is also phosphate free, lead free, and cadmium  free, making it safe for the environment and people’s health.”  

 Regulations for playground construction have also changed fairly dramatically  over the last 15 years, another factor prompting associations to upgrade their  equipment.  

 “One of the major things that’s different over the last 15 years is the materials,” says Andy Cush, CPSI, of General Recreation Inc. in Newtown Square,  Pennsylvania. “Playground equipment is made of more durable material, the hardware is typically  stainless steel, and both the warranties and life expectancies of the equipment  are longer.”  

 Safety & Access for All

 No matter how beloved or state-of-the-art it may be, play equipment can become a  major source of cuts, scrapes and other nasty boo-boos if not properly  installed and maintained. According to the National Program for Playground  Safety, each year over 200,000 children are injured on America's playgrounds.  And it's not just sharp edges and hard asphalt that's to blame. Consider that  under the blazing Florida sun, a metal slide can quickly heat up to well over  100 degrees, becoming a serious burn hazard.  

 After a lot of scorched hands and bruised bottoms, “Manufacturers now put coatings on the metal parts of the swing set,” says Cush. “The thicker coatings dissipate heat and insulate the metal from the skin. But  you still need to be careful of the colors you choose. Dark colors get hotter  than lighter colors.”  

 Another major change in playground construction has been as a result to changes  to the American Disabilities Act and the ability for special needs children to  be able to play alongside able-bodied children. “The original ADA standards went into effect in 1992 and were revised 20 years  later,” says Kenneth Otten, a facility assessment professional in Houston, Texas and an  ADA expert.  

 “There were no specific requirements for playground equipment in the original  version of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, known  as the ADAAG,” says Otten. “The only requirement was that an accessible route had to be provided to the  boundary of the play area.” Otten says that after much study, the Access Board incorporated new  requirements for playground surfaces and equipment which became mandatory on  March 15, 2012.  

 “Homeowners associations should be able to rely on the manufacturer's statement  that their equipment complies with the new ADA standards,” says Otten. “However, it is best practice to consult with a local design professional and an  ADA compliance specialist before designing a new playground, upgrading an older  one, or purchasing equipment.  

 Otten says that in addition to the actual equipment, there are other factors  that must be considered, including the number and types of elevated and  ground-level features in a play area, the surface material under and en route  to the equipment (because surface material must meet both safety and  accessibility requirements), and routes of travel to the playground area.  

 “Surfaces under playground equipment must meet safety requirements so that when a  child falls, they fall on soft and safe material,” he says. “At the same time, the surface must also meet the requirements of the ADA to  ensure that a wheelchair can successfully navigate to and between equipment.  There are specialized materials that accomplish this, however they tend to be  quite expensive.”  

 Some materials are poured onto the surface and create a soft but stable surface  (similar to the mats one finds in a gym); in some cases a synthetic or  manufactured fiber material resembling bark chips is used. “Traditional surfaces like natural bark chips or pea gravel are not accessible,  but are often mistakenly provided because they are inexpensive,” he says. “Meet the ADA requirements because, from a civil rights standpoint, it is the  right thing to do and, from a litigation standpoint, it is often less expensive  to make a playground accessible than to go to court, even if one prevails.”  

 If an association wants to add or upgrade a playground, Cush says that local  regulations provide requirements related to assessments, permits and the like. “A board should define targets they would like to achieve with a playground, and  what kind of play appeals to them,” he says. “A playground can serve a variety of functions. It can be the focal point of a  community, provide a rest area, serve as a way to marketing to potential  residents, etc. Don’t that forget parents and grandparents should be able to access and enjoy the  playground with their children and grandchildren. The goal should be an  inclusive playground that people of all ages and abilities can access and  enjoy.”  

 Broader Options

 Cush says that when his firm is engaged to build or upgrade a play area for a  condo or HOA, he visits an association’s site, gathers the wants and needs of the community—as well as their budget—and creates a plan for the play area that includes equipment, servicing, and/or  any installation work if needed.  

 Today’s design trend is for more custom-made projects. For example, if the development  is near the ocean, the playground might have a nautical or nature theme. There  are also lots of castles that are becoming popular.  

 “Another example of play equipment that’s not run-of-the-mill is NEOS, an outdoor electronic play system for all ages,” says Cook. “NEOS combines aerobic exercise with the speed and dexterity of video games, and  delivers a fun-filled workout comparable to jogging or a game of soccer, while  raising heart rates an average of 20 percent. There are a variety of versions  to choose from, each featuring multiple game and player options.”  

 Whether or not there is a maintenance agreement depends on the company. Some  just sell equipment, while others offer maintenance packages. However,  maintenance is often left to the property management company. “They do their own upkeep on the mulching and landscape,” says Cook. “Some distributors/dealers offer maintenance programs for a small fee and include  such services as pressure washing, bolt tightening, or loose fill surfacing and  raking.”  

 Whether your association springs for a sprawling, state-of-the-art playground  with all the bells and whistles, or goes for something more modest,  high-quality materials, thoughtful design, attention to safety, accessibility  and good maintenance will help make your play space a much-loved recreational  outlet for your community.   

 Lisa Iannucci is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to The South  Florida Cooperator.