Introduction
Playgrounds play a significant role in community life, providing spaces where early childhood memories are made, skills are developed, and families and friends come together. Playground maintenance to ensure safety and relevance is crucial. However, even with routine maintenance, playgrounds can sometimes become outdated, either due to aging equipment, or excessive deterioration in the materials and no longer meet safety standards. This is where playground retrofitting becomes a potentially viable solution.
As we discussed in our blog, “Revitalizing Play: A Guide to Playground Improvements,” there are many cost-effective approaches to modernizing a well-loved playground. These include adding new freestanding equipment, outdoor furnishings, enhanced surfacing, additional shade, and so on. While these improvements are impactful, sometimes a playground retrofit of an existing play structure is the most practical solution to refresh the look as well as bring even more play value to a space.
In this blog, we'll explore the benefits of playground retrofitting and share our budget-friendly strategies for transforming your community's playground into a safe and enjoyable space for years to come.
What is Playground Retrofitting?
Retrofitting playgrounds can be a cost-effective method to prolong their lifespan and update their appearance. In a retrofit, the primary structural posts remain in place, while components such as slides, climbers, panels, tunnels, decks, and roofs can be replaced as necessary. Frequently, decks, roofs, or barriers are found to be in excellent condition and are retained to maximize cost savings and simplify the retrofit process. This approach ensures compliance with evolving safety standards while enhancing the overall appeal of the playground.
Playground management groups, including parks and recreation departments, schools, and community organizations, value retrofitting for several reasons. Firstly, it offers sustainable benefits by leveraging existing playground components. Retrofitting promotes sustainability by reusing existing materials, which minimizes waste and environmental impact. This approach aligns with a growing emphasis on green practices in community planning and construction. By updating rather than replacing, you contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly community infrastructure.
Additionally, playground retrofitting allows for flexibility and customization. By swapping out a few key components, you can tailor the playground to better meet current safety standards and address the changing needs of the community. This targeted approach ensures that the playground remains relevant and engaging, encouraging more frequent use and fostering a sense of pride within the community.
Moreover, retrofitting can prove to be cost-effective compared to full playground replacements, providing flexibility to accommodate various budgets and funding levels. It typically entails a shorter timeframe for completion, reducing the downtime of playgrounds—a crucial priority for all stakeholders, particularly the children themselves.
There are several successful approaches to retrofitting a playground. Here are a few key examples that we've observed:
- Replacing Playground Structure Components: The sun can significantly impact the lifespan of playgrounds. Sometimes, replacing fabric or plastic roofs or slides can be an effective way to rejuvenate and extend the life of the playground.
- Repainting Metal Posts: There is a process of repainting playground posts directly onsite, called electrostatic painting. This is where a negative charge is run through the post and a positive charge is run through the painting material, causing the paint to stick to the intended surface.
- Replacing Playground Structure Decks: Replacing playground decks will alter the height and travel path within the playground structure, offering a new and distinct play experience. Therefore, it’s common that these changes will be a simple way to create a unique and different playscape aesthetic.
- Replacing Broken or Worn Barriers: Barriers are relatively easy to replace since they are attached to a post with a series of clamps. Furthermore, they can often be quite boring and serve only the purpose of keeping kids from falling off. But, with a little bit of an investment these barriers can become engaging play events, such as the Color Splash Panel or DigiFuse.
City of Alburquerque Retrofit
Cost Considerations for Playground Retrofitting
"Playground retrofitting" is a potentially more cost-effective solution than completely replacing a playground. It offers significant savings by utilizing existing structures, reducing demolition costs, and reducing groundwork expenses like surfacing. Retrofitting also allows for flexibility in design, accommodating different budgets and funding levels. The City of Albuquerque, for instance, achieved a budget-friendly solution by retrofitting five playgrounds in "fine condition" for the cost of building just one entirely new playscape.
By opting for retrofitting, you can work towards maximizing your budget by retaining equipment that's still in good condition and replacing only the worn or outdated components. This targeted approach to playground retrofitting saves both time and resources.
Landscape Structures, a company specializing in playground retrofitting, has designed their components with consistency in mind, making it easy to update playgrounds that are 10+ years old.
There are primarily three playground retrofitting options addressing a wide range of needs and goals:
- Basic Retrofit: This option focuses on safety and modernization. It involves replacing damaged parts, updating playground elements to meet current safety standards, and introducing new components or colors for a refreshed look.
- Inclusive Retrofit: This approach aims to create a playground environment that accommodates children of all abilities. It introduces elements that encourage sensory play, wider ramps, and inclusive components to promote a more diverse and welcoming playground.
- Destination Retrofit: This type of retrofit transforms a playground into a community destination by adding standout features such as large towers, unique climbers, or impressive freestanding elements. This approach can turn an ordinary playground into an attraction that draws visitors from all around.
When deciding on a retrofitting approach, it's important to consider your ultimate goal. Are you aiming to make the playground more inclusive, compliant with safety standards, or a community landmark? Identifying your objectives will guide you in choosing the best retrofit option to meet your needs and budget.
Playground retrofitting offers an efficient and cost-effective solution to playground improvement, with flexibility to meet diverse objectives while reducing costs compared to building a new playground from scratch.
Is a Playground Retrofit Right for Your Space?
While playground retrofitting is certainly an option, it's just one of many available to you. We encourage our customers to gain a comprehensive understanding of their vision and the options they have. That's why consulting and collaborating with your playground provider can play a vital role in your planning process and in aligning your current playground space with your future goals. Also, asking yourself a series of questions can also help uncover the validity of the playground retrofitting option.
When determining whether a playground retrofitting project is the right fit for you and your community, consider the following questions:
- Does this playscape have sentimental value to the community?
- Are we looking to replace all the decks, barriers, and playground equipment?
- What are the current safety standards and regulations that need to be considered for our playground retrofit?
- What are the options for incorporating environmentally sustainable materials and practices into the retrofit project?
- What are our goals in updating the playground? For example, are we aiming to enhance inclusivity or cater to an older age group?
- Does our playground have enough space to accommodate additional structures to the existing layout?
In any project, the retrofit needs can vary widely depending on your space. For instance, our team completed a project with the City of Carrolton at Rosemeade Park. Their goal was to enhance the inclusive nature of the space while keeping costs and funding requirements minimal. With that vision in mind, we expanded the existing structure and retrofitted the space to accommodate additional play events. This serves as a shining example of a cost-effective approach to enhancing the playground space through playground retrofitting.
However, there are times when executing a retrofit unfortunately may no longer be as cost-effective, as the cost of replacing materials may be as high as purchasing a new structure. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to maintain an open dialogue with your playground provider and carefully consider all potential cost considerations.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, playground retrofitting emerges as a versatile and sometimes very practical solution for revitalizing community spaces, ensuring they remain safe, engaging, and relevant for years to come. By leveraging existing structures and incorporating modern elements, playgrounds can be transformed into vibrant hubs of activity while minimizing costs and downtime. The sustainability inherent in retrofitting aligns with evolving environmental priorities, making it a responsible choice for communities aiming to reduce waste and promote green practices. Furthermore, the flexibility of retrofitting allows for customization tailored to specific needs, whether it's enhancing inclusivity, updating safety standards, or creating destination-worthy attractions. As communities embrace the benefits of playground retrofitting, they not only invest in the well-being of their residents but also foster a sense of pride and belonging in shared public spaces.
Additional Reading – Retrofitting with Inclusion in Mind: https://www.epmagazine.com/blog/creating-opportunities-for-adaptive-recreation