Pearson Metropark received a revamped playscape when the Toledo park system decided to roll out a new signature playground series. The new design was lead by landscape architect, Chad Brintall, RLA from SmithGroupJJR, and was inspired by the park's natural surroundings, including the Great Black Swamp, a wetland in northwest Ohio and the Bowling Green Fault, the only Great Lakes fault line, which can be seen from the park.

Pearson Metropark, located in Oregon, Ohio received a revamped playscape as part of a new signature playground series established by the Toledo park system. The goal of the project was to improve safety and access for children at the playground and to create an interactive and interpretable environment that would increase the understanding of the site's history and biodiversity.

In 2010 SmithGroupJJR began working with Metroparks in the Toledo area as part of an initiative to help them grow and strengthen the park system's legacy. After the firm worked on landscape enhancements and a shoreline stabilization project at Pearson Metropark, they were hired in the summer of 2012 to design a new playscape as well. It was at that time that Metropark was instituting a new signature playground series throughout its park system.

Multiple types of surfacing were used throughout the playscape, including 2,800 square feet of rubberized play surface in two shades of blue to represent the waters of the Great Black Swamp, 850 square feet of synthetic lawn and 2,750 square feet of wood mulch.

Design Concept
Lead landscape architect, Chad Brintall, RLA utilized a multi-phased planning approach and designed a playground that incorporated both functional equipment and custom-made sculptures. The inspiration of the design is based on the area's natural surroundings, such as the geology"?uthe park is the only place in Northwest Ohio where the exposed Bowling Green Fault, the only Great Lakes fault line, can be seen.

Another inspiration for the design is the Great Black Swamp, a wetland in northwest Ohio. Pearson's playscape engages children with harrowing stories of settlement told through interpretive signage and custom marsh-themed flora and fauna play elements.

The new 10,000 square foot playscape is a combination of stock playground equipment and custom play structures, totaling 44 pieces in all.

Play Equipment
The new 10,000 square foot playscape is a combination of stock playground equipment and custom play structures, totaling 44 pieces in all. Custom elements were created by Graphite Design + Build and include a frog, spider, tree, woodpecker, lily pads, spinning lily flowers and log climber. Other play structures – multiple slides, swings and various play panels were provided by Landscape Structures. One of the challenges of the project was creating custom play equipment that complemented the catalog pieces. To create a seamless look the team met regularly during the design and construction phases. By replacing aging equipment with a thoughtfully designed play environment, the accessibility at Pearson was increased and an inclusive play atmosphere for children of all abilities was created.

Custom play elements were created by Graphite Design + Build and include an interactive tree, bullfrog, woodpecker, spinning lily flowers and lily pads.

Surfacing
Two-thousand-eight-hundred square feet of Synlawn rubberized play surface was utilized for the surfacing of the playscape. Two shades of blue were used to represent the waters of the Great Black Swamp. Other surfacing includes 850 square feet of synthetic lawn around the climbing wall and 2,750 square feet of wood mulch that was incorporated throughout the playground.

It took four months to create the design, including the framework plan, master plan and sketches of the overall playscape and individual custom playground equipment. To demolish and grade the site, install the landscape, surfacing and equipment it took six months.

Although the playscape has traditional slides and climbing structures, several play panels were also installed, including musically themed sound chimes, xylofun, ring-a-bell and a bongo. Others include a ball maze, periscope, and navigator panel.

Challenges of the project include developing solutions to address flooding and poor drainage and making the custom play equipment work with the conventional pieces. To address persistent flooding at the park and improve accessibility throughout the playground, the playscape site was raised. A new stormwater system, consisting of a network of underdrains, was also installed.

The playscape also received a new planting design including shade trees – Homestead elm and red sunset maple; flowering trees – musclewood and sargent crabapple; coniferous evergreens – Nick's compact juniper; shrubs – hummingbird summersweet, Merlot sweetspire, Gro-low fragrant sumac; perennials – wild ginger, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan; and ornamental grasses – Karl Forester feather reed grass and Shenandoah switchgrass.