The
renovated playground as envisioned in Nov. 2007. Prospect Park
SW runs along back. (From left) Circular tot area, oval swing
area (pretty much where swings are now), tear drop-shaped water
feature for older kids, large climbing sphere, and climbing structure
with slides and bridges. Older kids area is where the adult workout
equipment currently sits. The two entrances are both away from
the street.
Entrance to the park at Vanderbilt will stay the same but the
walkway will swing out to the left much more than it does now.
Entrance walkway and tot area run through where the BBQ area currently
is (BBQ area will be relocated).
Older kids’ area: The existing wooden climbing
structure will be replaced with a structure made of bridges
and cables and two slides (one will be a corkscrew slide).
We requested that the structure be sturdy (so children who are
less coordinated will be able to use it) and include semi-enclosed
areas (as on 9th Street) for kids to play house/ice cream parlor.
The older kids' area also includes a large dome
made up of a web of ropes with a slide coming off it, a flat
disc which is installed on a tilt and kids can climb
on it and be spun (they’ll have to push it hard to make
it move and it will be installed on rubber mats), and wood
decks, one of which will have an existing tree coming
out of it.
Older kids’ water feature: This consists
of a large teardrop-shaped section which narrows into
a shallow channel, about 1’ –
1&1/2’ wide, that meanders through the playground (channel
is shown in first picture above). The water comes out of a bubbler
at the western end of the channel and flows up the channel to
the teardrop. The channel has a series of small bridges over it
for play (kids can easily just step over it).
The teardrop area has several slightly curved bronze poles (6’
to 8’ tall) which sprout either water or mist out of the
top. Also in the teardrop area are several “flow features”
– low bronze “rocks” which are 5’ around
and have channels which collect some of the water sprouting out
of the tall poles. On the right of the model pictured here are
cutouts of a child and adult to give you a sense of the proportion.
Tot area: This (on the left side of the picture)
will be enclosed and will include a structure similar
to the one at the Garfield playground: a low series of
risers and probably a slide. The separate swing area (the
same type/number of bucket swings as currently) will be in approximately
the same area as the current swings.
The Tots’ water feature consists of a 30”
tall x 11’ long water wall with different interesting textures
(see pictures) which will be housed within the enclosed tot area.
A bubbler will emit water from one end at the top and water will
flow down a channel, dripping down several places in the front.
It also has a small archway from which a gentle “rain”
will fall (children can walk through or stick their hands through
this).
