Northwoods Park in Brooklyn Park, Minn., recently built an 8,000 square foot inclusive playground to complement its nationally recognized, fully-sized, fully accessible softball fields. The playground has 43 play elements manufactured by BCI Burke Company, who worked side-by-side with the landscape architect.

Each year, in conjunction with the NRPA show, LASN features playgrounds from across the United States designed by various landscape architects and supplied by a number of playground manufacturers. One such playground is the Northwoods Park Inclusive Playground from Brooklyn Park, Minn., which gives children of all abilities the opportunity for play. Northwoods Park, a 13,500 square foot city owned community-park, is home to several full-sized and fully accessible softball fields that have hosted national wheelchair softball championships. As the fields draw children and adults with physical challenges to visit, the city decided to update a nearby playground that was two decades old and only partially accessible.

Swinging becomes a possibility for all with this single post swing set that includes two belt seats, one toddler seat and two ADA seats. The safety surfacing is approximately 8,000 square feet of XGrass synthetic turf, under which is a one-and-a-half inch resilient pad.

Choosing the Play Equipment
The city considered several bids from playground equipment manufacturers, but they were ultimately impressed with BCI Burke Company's (BCI) inclusive play elements and designs and ultra-wide wheelchair accessible ramps. Although the city planned on using the existing play area space, BCI suggested an area closer to the accessible ball field, where they could take advantage of the topography.

The new site required minimal excavation and grading preparation. The topography allowed for achieving accessible heights with fewer ramps and decks, which left more in the budget for a broader range of play pieces and more opportunities for including challenging play activities. The final accessible design was determined with the input of those who know playgrounds best, a group of children who require wheelchairs to get around, or otherwise need walking assistance.

Sensory activities stimulate all the senses: touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing. The Hypno Activity Panel, one of four sensory play events on the playground, is a spiraling optical illusion. The height of Hypno is just about at eye level for children in wheelchairs.

Play Structures
The 8,000 square foot playground incorporates 43 play pieces. Sturdy five-inch wide steel posts support the vinyl-coated perforated decks and doublewide ramps, which allow room for two children in wheelchairs to pass or ride alongside one another. The play structures include steel accessories, polypropylene coated steel cable nets, HDPE plastic and roto-molded plastic slides, as well as climbers and panels. The design includes sensory play components, motion play events and areas to socialize that are accessible and usable to all children.

The freestanding Alpine Climber, part rock wall, rope climber and sliding pole, tests upper-body strength and climbing coordination.

Climbers
Play events include over 10 climbers, where children can increase their upper body strength.
• Alpine Climber – a freestanding climber that offers multiple climbing experiences from the ground level up, including rock walls, net climbers and a sliding pole.
• Wild Web Rope Climber – a rope climber installed at an angle for challenging, athletic play. Children can climb up, down, across and over the top.
• Ridge Climber – a vertical climber with hand and foot holes for children to climb across, up or down.
• Twisting Traverse Climber – a twisting balance beam with angled ropes from top to bottom to assist in crossing. It also creates an obstacle course feel as children cross on the snake-shaped beam while climbing through angled ropes.
• Fan Climber – a metal climber with fan-shaped steps resembling a vertical, spiral staircase up to the platform.
• Linking Ring Climber – a metal climber with large circular rungs up to the platform.
• Steep Peak Climber – a straight, vertical climber with rock hand and foot holds.
• Twist "N' Turn Climber – a vertical, arched climber with stepping rungs in a helix form.
• Coil Climber – a vertical metal climber that resembles a corkscrew.
• Twist Net Climber – a net climber that twists as it reaches the platform.
• RockIt Climber – a rock-shaped plastic climber that also has rock hand holds to create multiple climbing opportunities for many children at one time.

One child assists another at the Kidforce Spinner, where a bowl-like seat installed at an angle provides perpetual motion.

Panels
Activities, other than the traditional slides and swings, are also part of this design. Children can play at several sensory activity panels, such as the Hypno Activity Panel, which provides a spiraling optical illusion; the Chimes Panel, interactive play panels that sound different musical chime notes; the Touch & Play Drum Panel, an electronic play panel that creates different drum sounds; the Touch & Play Piano Panel, an electronic play panel that has a keyboard and directions on how to play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; the Gear Panel & Sprocket Panel, an interactive play panel that creates multiple gears to move by twisting one; the Paddle Ball Panel, that has a bubble window panel with different sized balls that fit through the correct size holes using a steering wheel motion, and the Cog Wheel Pane, an interactive paly pane that creates multiple gears to move small beads around them by twisting the knob.

This modular designed Viper Slide platform, one of four on the playground, offers children a twist-and-turn or an almost straight ride to the bottom.

Spinners
Children have four options when it comes to spinners on the playground. They can choose from the Daisy Spinner, a flower shaped ground-level spinner that allows children to sit, kneel or spin 360 degrees on their stomachs; the Comet II Spinner, a sturdy metal globe with seats, as well as standing room on the inside and outside, installed at an angle, which allows multiple children to spin 360 degrees using their group momentum; the KidForce Spinner, which has a bowl-like seat that is installed at an angle and provides perpetual motion, or the Swift Twist Spinner, where children can spin standing or sitting.

The doublewide ramps have enough room for two wheelchairs to maneuver side-by-side, which is ideal for an accessible playground. The ramps lead the children to multiple play pieces.

Slides
Four slide platforms are located in various locations around the play structure, including the Triple Rail Slide, a one-piece slide with multiple slide beds that allows two children to slide at the same time, as well as the Viper S, Viper Left, and Viper III, which have a modular design that offers straight and spiral options.

Other play events include two tunnels, a 90-degree ground-level tunnel, and a straight ground-level tunnel; the Triangle Traverse Overhead, a single post overhead event (monkey bars) with triangle-shaped hand rungs that helps build upper body strength; the Fun Phone, two phones that connect underground allow children to talk to each other from separate ends of the play space; the Three Drum Table, a table that includes two sizes of real drums to make music, and a single post swing set that includes two belt seats, one toddler seat and two ADA seats.

Children can spin 360 degrees, while standing or sitting on the Swift Twist Spinner, one of four spinners on the playground.

Surfacing
At an inclusive playground where children use assistive devices to get from place to place, a maneuverable surface is an important factor. After much thought and input from users who participated in the early design sessions it was decided that synthetic turf would be used as the surfacing material.

First, 12, 000 square feet of one-and-a-half inches of resilient pad was installed, layered where necessary to meet the required fall height resiliency. Next, approximately 8,000 square feet of XGrass synthetic turf was installed.

The Sound Garden music panels let kids explore drum rhythms (center & right) and musical tones (left) with the Touch & Play Piano Panel. The electronic keyboard gives directions on how to play "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Accessible Walkway
The overall design of the site includes an irregular shaped accessible walkway that surrounds the entire play area. This 4,680 square foot pathway meanders, rises and falls and itself becomes part of the play. There is a railing with a graspable handrail to assist those in need, which encompasses elevated portions of the walkway. Several types of accessible benches sit around the outside of this pathway, allowing for rest and supervision of the play area. The site also includes a concession building, park pavilion with bathrooms, meeting rooms and a picnic shelter.

The Comet Spinner, a sturdy metal globe with seats or standing room on the inside and outside, allows children the ability to spin 360 degrees using their group momentum.

Project Challenges
Site location, surfacing, play equipment and design of that equipment were met with a design team that made very thoughtful choices. The playground does not focus on accessibility through ramps, but rather through ground-level dynamic events that foster integrated play, and universal access. The design team was also very conscious of the budget and worked creatively to build play events that did not require costly specialized equipment. In the end the city received a playground that is 100 percent accessible, and residents near and far have a place to gather for good old-fashioned playground fun.

Northwoods Park Inclusive Playground was completed in October of 2013, and was dedicated in May 2014. The project took approximately two months to complete.

Children play in the two tunnels, one 90-degree ground-level tunnel and a straight ground-level tunnel. Another child plays at the drum panel.

Project Team
Landscape Architect
Mike Basich, St. Croix Recreation Fun Playgrounds, Inc.
Site Excavation/Construction
Eberhard Concrete Construction
Manufacturing of Playground Equipment/Installation
BCI Burke Company
Owner
City of Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Vendors
Play Equipment: BCI Burke Company
Surfacing: XGrass
Benches: RJThomas Mfg.
Patio Seat Walls: Versa-Lok