Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Playground
  • Surfacing
  • Parks
  • Athletics
  • Aquatics
  • Play
Home
  • Playground
  • Surfacing
  • Parks
  • Athletics
  • Aquatics
  • Play
  • Build a Sandbox
  • The Play Value Of Sand
  • With Community Helpers the Play Lady Receives the Fred Rodgers Helpers Award
  • Keeping the Fun in Fundraising
  • See Accessibility Through the Eyes of a Child
  • Outdoor Play for Children with Intellectual Disabilities on Playgrounds

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Playground
  3. Construction
  4. How to Determine the Feasibility of a Playground Area

How to Determine the Feasibility of a Playground Area

Construction
July 29, 2013
Profile picture for user Butch-Defillippo
By Butch-Defillippo on
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print
2406
How to Determine the Feasibility of a Playground Area

How to Determine the Feasibility of a Playground Area

Many community leaders at schools, parks departments, child care centers, and other agencies often wonder if they should rally resources for new or improved playground areas. Of course their concern is for students or young people who need a safe and healthy place to play and learn that offers challenges but with risks well under control. It would seem that this type of decision is easy. However, with so many fiscal, political, space, and safety pressures, the local leader may need additional ways to help thinking through this process. The playground feasibility process may help.

The playground feasibility process is clear, straight forward, and easy to prepare but at the same time requires the local leader to consider several key areas in their decision making process. There are six components:

1. Legal feasibility: This process requires the local leader to determine if the land site ownership is in place and that all liens, easements, and right-of-ways are cleared for the proposed playground project. If the playground area is at a school site, then this is an easy step for the school official; this would also be true for a park official if the land site is within a park area. However, there are times and places (particularly with private companies or nonprofits) where this extra step needs to be taken. Close review of ownership maps is the easiest way to answer this set of important questions.

2. Site feasibility: This element determines if the surface, sub surface, drainage, vegetation, wildlife, supervision lines of site, and weather patterns of the site are appropriate for the proposed project. Again, some of these considerations will appear to be of little concern, but depending on the location, the local official might have a surprise. It is certainly better to have these items reviewed early on rather than at construction time. This may be of little concern within an existing school area or park, but there might be better locations within those areas for the playground because of these concerns.

3. Use feasibility: An analysis should be made of the intended population of users to determine whether there is a long term need for such a proposed action. In other words, do you need a playground? Also within this consideration would be the maximum number of users on the equipment at one time to ensure safety. Of course, there are standards for capacity of use, and this information is an important guiding principle based on type of equipment, age appropriateness, fitness and mental challenge goals, and type of play activity.

4. Design feasibility: When the local official is searching for the right equipment, playground vendors are extremely helpful in providing design layouts, space requirements, entrance and exit points, and playground configurations. This is important so that the decision maker can envision the finished project. But this also answers another important question: will the completed playground achieve the vision of the decision makers, users, and others that work to make the project all that was hoped for?

5. Financial feasibility: For many, this is the key question...can we afford the equipment/surfacing, its installation, and long term care? It is important to have accurate cost figures for the purchase of the correct equipment and surfacing. But it is also necessary to not forget installation costs, initial and continuous safety audits/inspections, and also the long term care and maintenance of the finished playground. On occasion, community decision makers will become very excited at meeting immediate needs and forget about these long term cost issues. This part of the feasibility study will help solve that issue.

6. Administrative feasibility: This last process investigates the policies and practical management activities that must be in place for the completed project’s long term success. Such considerations as repair cycles, maintenance plans, hours of operation, enclosure gates, signage, supervision plans, life cycle, and any other issues that should be considered so that the project is not just built and then left to the elements. Contact with other agencies, playground vendors, designers, and safety inspectors is helpful at this point. They will be able to draw from their vast experience and share insights.

In the ideal circumstance, all six feasibility factors check off in the positive. But what if one or more of the items are a concern? Well, this is the reason for performing this task, to make sure that the project meets all elements so it will be a success. However, it is possible to move forward with some concerns. There are certainly some factors that cannot be ignored such as land ownership. However, even that might be mediated by a land lease agreement. What is important here is that the local decision maker has taken all of these factors into consideration and noted where some adjustments must be made, or to decide that the project needs further consideration.

Playgrounds are designed and intended for many generations of use. Therefore, a serious feasibility study is an important step to ensure project success.

Photo courtesy of Stan Ford

Profile picture for user Butch-Defillippo
Butch-Defillippo
Published 10 years ago
Last updated 9 months ago
2406
3
min read
A- A+
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

More About

Mar 01, 2004
Construction

The National Playground Contractors Association

Playground Magazine
Company Remains Leader After Nearly 75 Years
Jan 01, 2002
Construction

Miracle Workers

Playground Magazine
girl wearing ear plugs
Mar 02, 2021
Construction

What Sounds Would You Miss the Most?

Joann Robertson
Play Spaces Transform Communities
Sep 24, 2019
Construction

Play Spaces Transform Communities

Victoria Babb
Mar 20, 2015
Construction

The Importance of Building It Right

Jack Fry
Planning Makes Perfect
May 01, 2001
Construction

Planning Makes Perfect

Curtis Stoddard
Tree House
Sep 17, 2019
Construction

Tips for Building a Dream Treehouse for Kids

Katherine Perkins
Nov 01, 2002
Construction

Installation Manual

Playground Magazine
Under Construction
Jan 01, 2002
Construction

Under Construction

Playground Magazine
Assembly Line
Feb 01, 2004
Construction

Assembly Line

Playground Magazine
5 Things to Avoid When Creating a New Playground
Nov 12, 2019
Construction

5 Things to Avoid When Creating a New Playground

April Brooks
Mindful Design - The New Face of Play
Mar 30, 2014
Construction

Mindful Design - The New Face of Play

Todd Lehman

Construction Professionals

Cedar Creek Run Construction, LLC
Cedar Creek Run Construction, LLC
Manufacturer
More
Ideal Play & Surfacing, Inc.
Ideal Play & Surfacing, Inc.
Services
More
Tatonka Playgrounds
Tatonka Playgrounds
Services
More
CivilScape News
CivilScape News
Organization
More
Playworx Playsets, LLC
Playworx Playsets, LLC
Services
More
Michigan Recreational Construction
Michigan Recreational Construction
Services
More
Metro Recreation, Inc.
Metro Recreation, Inc.
Services
More
ML Iverson Associates, LLC
ML Iverson Associates, LLC
Services
More
DG Services, Inc.
DG Services, Inc.
Services
More
Playground Outfitters
Playground Outfitters
Sales Rep
More
A & A Playground Services, Inc.
A & A Playground Services, Inc.
Services
More
Schoolscapes, Inc.
Schoolscapes, Inc.
Services
More
Home

Follow Us

Play and playground news and information since 2001

  • instagram
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • pinterest
  • linkedin

Company

  • Playground Magazine
  • Contributors
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Copyright © 2001 - 2023 Playground Professionals, LLC

Footer menu

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms and conditions