How can you be sure your playspace doesn’t pose excessive risk to life and limbs – or drain funds through ongoing labour and maintenance?
There’s a community park in Whanganui, NZ, that says it all. Entertaining families every day and built on a State Highway, the local Council has spent minimal on maintenance (or seen a serious accident) since it was installed almost 10 years ago – with its swings, slides and climbing structure still in great condition.
Pointedly, the playground still retains all of its original parts suggesting that no excess money has had to be spent due to its inherent quality. If asked, could you identify a like playground in your local area with the same original status?
So, what’s the secret?
Whether you’re creating a compact suburban playspace or a destination playground, choose an expert partner with proven, comprehensive quality and safety standards. These need to cover the design, manufacture and installation of the equipment plus focus on heights, surfaces, fall considerations (soft impact), surroundings and ongoing upkeep.
And today, there’s another crucial ingredient to consider: balancing safety, adventure and challenge.
With technology and inactivity both posing challenges to children’s lifelong health, the best playgrounds are stimulating, challenging and development-rich. At Playground Centre, we specialise in striking the right balance: creating exciting playgrounds that help kids manage acceptable risks and develop life skills, while ensuring our clients’ total peace of mind.
Beyond the clear ethical responsibilities and legal implications, guaranteed quality and safety standards deliver tangible benefits:
- Slash maintenance labour and costs: Start with the right materials, built to withstand local conditions, wear and tear plus potential vandalism – and save years of time, repairs and budget blowouts. Time and time again, we see that quality playgrounds work out more cost-effective over their lifetime which is typically a minimum of 15 years.
- Looks, appeal and reputation: From hard surfaces and trip hazards to broken swings and flaking paint – an unsafe playground is a deterrent with reputational impacts for your area, school or organisation.
- Property prices: Research shows that having a good playground nearby can add value to surrounding properties*. It stands to reason that this applies to high-quality, high-appeal playgrounds that locals love.
What to look for
As well as international quality standard ISO9001:2008, Playground Centre meets or exceed all relevant Australian, New Zealand and European standards for safety and structural compliance. Our team also includes key personnel with Grade 3 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) accreditation.
Our premium materials are carefully selected for durability and low maintenance, providing value for money and hassle-free performance, year after year. In fact, our equipment is supported by an exceptional range of warranties*, including a 25-year conditional warranty on the structural integrity of selected steel and timber poles.
How we can help
With 100 years’ combined experience in creating innovative, safe, and robust playgrounds, we can help you navigate relevant standards, meet regulations and create an amazing playspace with confidence. Let’s talk today.
* https://theconversation.com/that-public-playground-is-good-for-your-kids-and-your-wallet-127910