Schools, churches, or parks? Very few envision them on military bases but many military communities create a park and recreation area that features a community playground. Playgrounds, especially on military bases, are an effective way to provide a family friendly environment. These areas also create a means for families, who are often apart, to reconnect. Every military community can benefit from a playground area. They encourage children to engage in active play, improve physical coordination and interact with their peers. In addition, commercial playgrounds on military bases can also serve as a wonderful tool for younger children to reacquaint...
Federal agencies are being encouraged to buy products that are made with recycled content, have less packaging, are energy efficient, don’t create hazardous waste, and incorporate other environmentally preferred characteristics. Buying Products with Recycled Content: Recycled content products contain “recovered materials” or “post-consumer materials” or both. “Recovered materials” means materials that have been removed or diverted from solid waste – in other words, trash – including solid waste created by manufacturers. “Post-consumer materials” are materials that we discard at home and at work that are separated or diverted for recycling instead of going to a landfill. Whatever your job,...
In areas where municipal officials or hired contractors are charged with maintaining and developing spaces such as parks and public gardens, they not only need to offer attractive site furnishings but also keep an eye on the budget assigned. How the space is furnished can often be the key element leading to financial stability and community satisfaction. Site amenities should be based on comfort and user friendliness, choosing one piece over another depends on the overall style and design of the space. For example, in some areas movable tables and chairs are more suitable than permanent mounted site amenities....
The best of these furnishings require little-to-no maintenance, have a long lifespan, are easy to clean, and are difficult for vandals to damage. These furnishings also must be convenient, easy to use and safe. It is best to avoid items with protruding objects or sharp corners that could injure users. Picnic Tables: While many travelers and campers bring their own grill or stove, few actually carry a picnic table. Because of this, it is a good idea to provide picnic tables in campgrounds and on trails where day use is encouraged. Tables are available commercially in wood, metal, concrete,...
More than 23 million American households adopted a pet during the recent pandemic, with the majority of those pets being dogs. The increase in the number of dog parks in the past couple years, as well as the number of existing parks making improvements, can be attributed to not only the number of families adding dogs but also the fact that dog parks are a safe place to congregate. From a cost perspective, dog parks are much more affordable to outfit than other parks or ballfields. It wasn’t just people adding dogs to their families, but also the increase of...
Winter weather provides a frosty world of endless possibilities for kids. They can construct forts, sled over ice ramps, skate on a frozen patch of water in the backyard and pretend they are Eskimos foraging for their food. The melted snow freezes on their pants while their faces, legs and hands turn an uncomfortable shade of pink. Nonetheless, they still want to play outside despite the weather conditions. So what can we do to protect them when playing in bad weather? Snow, believe it or not, can cause problems on the playground. Although we think of snow as being soft...
While we can’t prevent hurricanes, we can prepare for them. That means doing everything you can to keep you, your family and your belongings safe, far ahead of any natural disaster. No matter the size of the storm, you can take steps to reduce the likelihood of your stuff becoming storm debris. It is difficult to prevent buildings from becoming debris, especially during a large storm, but smaller items can be safely stored or secured. After all, no one wants their patio furniture to knock out a neighbor’s window before it ends up swimming with the fish. As part...
On sunny days and warm summer nights, your guests enjoy the luxury of your outdoor spaces but as temperatures drop and snow starts to flurry, no one wants to sit outside anymore. What do you do with your outdoor furniture? These maintenance and prepping tips will not only allow you to store your furniture but will also give you a little confidence to pull everything back out on those occasional warm Fall days. Cushions Make sure that all cushions and pillows are clean of any stains and spills before placing them in some sort of storage container. If a...
Over 20,000 people are hurt annually in accidents involving bleachers! Many of these injuries involve children. A large percentage are a result of a person falling from, or through, bleachers to the ground. Falls from bleachers typically occur when guardrails are missing from the back or sides of bleachers but can also ensue when there are openings between seating and footboards that are big enough to allow a person through. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has developed guidelines to prevent these falls. Many bleachers in facilities today pose a fall hazard, especially to children, due to the fact that...
Play is important for child development, but sometimes the funds necessary to provide our children with the playground equipment that is needed to help them grow and learn can be a tough road. Following these simple steps will not only allow you to purchase a new playground unit or replace an existing one, it is also a great way to get your community involved. Idea #1: “Adopt” a Part of a Playground Having a sketch or plan of your potential play area layout will help in your fundraising efforts. It can be used as a great marketing tool. Showing it...
