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As local government parks and recreation officials plan purchases of playground apparatus, Lacey Jarvis, COO of AAA State of Play, recommends that they buy playground equipment that promotes inclusive play. “This allows multiple children to engage with the equipment simultaneously and naturally encourages social interaction. I found sensory play panels to be good choices for fostering collaborative play.”
Jarvis also suggests that buyers select apparatus setups that feature plenty of climbing structures. “I understand this is where the risk of falling comes in, but climbing is a great way to build strength in developing muscles, and developed muscles are more resistant to injuries.”
AAA State of Play carries a selection of playground gear for schools, playgrounds, parks and other outdoor areas. The company has 20 years of experience helping public-sector buyers find quality, affordable fixtures for outdoor playground and park purposes as well as safe playground surfacing.
From a safety standpoint, a playground’s surface or floor merits some serious consideration, according to Jarvis. “The emphasis shouldn't be on the playground equipment itself but on the protective mulch that surrounds the playground floor. According to a report from Stanford Medicine, there are 200,000 playground injuries every year, stemming from a fall.”
Jarvis’ firm provides rubber mulch for its apparatus. “Rubber mulch is a more viable impact absorber than the more common wooden mulch. Rubber maintains its elasticity and doesn't harden or become rigid in response to temperature changes.”
Jarvis offers this best practice to municipalities planning to buy recreational gear: “Look for playground equipment that's listed as commercial-grade. This means the equipment is intended for public use and is made for durability and longevity. Furthermore, most insurers require playground equipment to be commercial-grade. The classification also means the equipment is approved by ASTM International.”
Playgrounds as public safety
Jarvis outlines the importance of recreation and recreational apparatus in community life: “Playground equipment promotes city safety, albeit in a more indirect manner. A city playground is a hub shared by the inhabitants. This fosters a community for the parents and networking among neighbors. For the young ones, it gives them a space for free play. Without this space, they may direct that energy in the wrong way, especially if they find solace in the wrong crowds.”
Her view is that safety education starts at home and must come from the parents. “Cities can fund school programs that the parents can get involved in, where parents and children can co-learn. This includes after-school programs like ‘Stranger Danger’ and ‘Saying No to Drugs.’"
Artificial intelligence (AI) has a function to play in public safety, Jarvis said. “AI has a report card role. City administrators can leverage city data and plug it into AI analytics to analyze key performance indicators that measure program outcomes. This includes metrics like participation rates and continued parental engagement. Experts and laypersons can then forecast this data against statistics like school delinquency and juvenile crime rates. AI can provide a comprehensive report card with next-step recommendations.”
Jarvis believes total spending on public safety will increase in the coming years. “The spending will be more heavily allocated towards the back end of operations, such as AI analytics and forecasting tools. Strategies that are developed will be information-based from AI-derived big data. Suggested courses of action will be objective and not based on well-meaning but biased human input.”
OMNIA Partners, who sponsors this page, offers a robust portfolio of cooperative contracts in the public procurement space. The firm lists a number of cooperative contracts under the phrase “playground equipment.”
