You have a vision for transforming your community's outdoor spaces. You can see the potential: children playing together, families gathering, spaces that bring people of all abilities together. But when it comes to execution, the questions multiply. Where do you start? How do you navigate regulations? What materials truly last? How do you ensure accessibility without breaking the budget?
This is where experience becomes invaluable. The difference between a project that struggles and one that succeeds often comes down to having someone who's walked this path hundreds of times before, someone who can provide the clarity and direction that turns vision into reality.
Greg Hawkins brings over two decades of hands-on experience helping communities just like yours move from "what if" to "what is." Through his educational approach, he shares the insights that can save you time, money, and frustration while ensuring your outdoor space achieves everything you envision. Whether you're facing your first playground project or looking to enhance existing facilities, Greg's knowledge helps you make informed decisions with confidence.
Greg's journey to becoming a trusted advisor in outdoor recreation wasn't a straight path, but every step prepared him for the work he does today. After graduating from Oklahoma State University, he spent years in corporate sales and management across multiple industries, developing the communication and problem-solving skills that now serve communities so well.
At Tyson Foods, Greg noticed something that would become a pattern throughout his career: when he saw a gap, he filled it. At the time, the company lacked effective sales training materials, so Greg created four comprehensive training modules that not only transformed their internal processes but were eventually adopted by other companies and industries. This instinct to educate and share knowledge would later become central to his approach with communities.
His path to outdoor recreation began in 2003 when he discovered an opportunity with Skatewave Skateparks and Landscape Structures. For Greg, this wasn't just another career move. As he puts it, "skateboarding played a fundamental part in my life during the ages 11-19," so when he learned about the role, he jumped at the chance to combine personal passion with professional expertise.
Over the past two decades with Landscape Structures, Greg has applied his corporate experience in project management and innovation to help communities across the country create outdoor spaces that truly serve their needs. His unique background allows him to speak the language of both business leaders and community advocates, bridging the gap between vision and practical execution.
Greg's approach is straightforward: share what works and what doesn't. After two decades of projects ranging from small neighborhood playgrounds to major destination parks, he's seen most challenges before and knows how communities have successfully navigated them.
His presentations focus on practical insights drawn from real projects, as well as his deep passion for these spaces and environments. When discussing inclusive design, he might share how one school district solved their accessibility challenge within a tight budget, or how a city turned visionary constraints into design advantages. These aren't theoretical concepts but proven solutions from communities facing similar situations.
Greg regularly conducts webinars and workshops covering essential topics from safety requirements to industry trends. His style is conversational rather than formal, focused on answering the questions that actually keep project leaders up at night. How do you phase construction to minimize disruption? Which design elements or considerations provide the biggest impact for your investment? What long-term maintenance should you realistically expect?
Communities appreciate this practical approach because it gives them concrete next steps rather than abstract ideas. Greg helps clarify what's required, what's optional, and where you have flexibility in your process.
As he has moved into his Brand Ambassador role in early 2025, Greg continues to share knowledge through speaking engagements and educational programs, offering insights from the field that help communities make decisions with confidence.
Greg conducts webinars and continuing education sessions on topics that matter to project planners: playground safety requirements, current design trends, and inclusive design principles. These sessions give communities and professionals the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their outdoor spaces.
At Landscape Structures, Greg worked with a company philosophy of being "the first to innovate and the last to compromise." This means exploring new approaches while never cutting corners on what matters most. For Greg, the goal is simple: "being able to see everyone, regardless of background, playing together."
With that professional compass, his projects balance innovation with practicality. New technologies or sustainable materials get incorporated when they serve the community's needs, always with accessibility as a baseline requirement. The result is outdoor spaces where people naturally gather and interact, creating the kind of community connections that make these investments worthwhile.
Greg shares that while he has been "fortunate enough to be a part of significant destination playground projects," his most meaningful projects are not the biggest.
Greg played a key role in the development of Durham Park, a significant playground project installed in June 2016 within his own neighborhood of Richardson Heights in Richardson, TX. This park is a prime example of the community-driven planning that prioritizes playgrounds within walking distance of residents. The commitment to this vision was so strong that the Richardson Parks and Recreation Department purchased four homes within the neighborhood and cleared the properties to create space for the playground. In a meaningful nod to the neighborhood’s history, reclaimed bricks from each home were used to construct the park’s pavilion. Greg was fortunate to collaborate with one of his neighbors, a Principal and Partner at a local landscape architecture firm, to bring this project to life, ensuring that the design was both thoughtful and reflective of the community’s needs.
Another one of Greg's most impactful playground projects took place at The Hockaday School, an esteemed all-girls school in Dallas, TX. The project began with a meeting Greg arranged with the school’s CFO, which led to a full presentation attended by 16–18 individuals—a diverse group of teachers, parents, and administrators. During the presentation, Greg went beyond discussing the equipment, choosing instead to focus on the deeper philosophy of play and its vital role in childhood development. That message resonated deeply; he recalls one attendee admitting that while he was initially lost when it came to the playground equipment, he was completely sold after hearing about the power of play. The project replaced an outdated and well-loved playground, and Greg and the team were intentional in finding creative ways to keep costs down while still delivering a beautiful, functional space that met the school's needs.
Jack Carter Park in Plano, TX stands out as a milestone project for Greg, as it marked the installation of the first inclusive playground in the city. Completed in 2011, this small but significant playground was thoughtfully designed to ensure that children of all abilities could play side by side. The project reflected a growing commitment to inclusive play spaces and set a new standard for playground development in Plano. For Greg, it was a meaningful step in advocating for accessibility and inclusion in public play environments...values that continue to shape his work today.
Outside of these projects, Greg's portfolio is rich with projects that have made a lasting impact on communities. From inclusive playgrounds to shade structures, he shares that it is always rewarding to see the impacts of providing communities with outdoor spaces for them to cherish.
Greg's philosophy is straightforward: "Outdoor Spaces are Important Places." After two decades of helping communities create these spaces, he's seen firsthand how the right outdoor environment can bring people together and strengthen neighborhoods.
He continues sharing what he's learned through speaking engagements, webinars, and educational programs. These sessions cover practical topics like safety requirements, design trends, and accessibility solutions based on real project experiences. For Greg, it's about giving communities the knowledge they need to make decisions that will serve them well for years to come.
Whether you're planning your first playground project or looking to enhance existing facilities, Greg's experience can help you navigate the process with confidence. His approach combines practical expertise with a genuine understanding of what makes outdoor spaces work for communities.
Want to connect with Greg? Why wait - reach out today!