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One question/comment and one piece of info:

When you say "clear-walled raised beds" what do you mean?  Soil will cook in the sun behind a clear panel.  Also, It will not likely stay clear very long.  You might test this out before investing too much money into the "clear" material.  I have seen "worm" panels where they had doors over it so it would stay dark and you just opened them to take a look before the worms retreated.

You should download a copy off "Playground Safety Standards" from The US Consumer product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf   This will help you with both the overall conditions and the details.  It is geared more toward commercial playground elements but the basic issues like entrapment, sharp edges, safety surfaces, etc. apply for everything.  Many of us use this as a reference for exhibits in general.

If you want professional help with the design consider a landscape architect or designer who has done similar things.  I wouldn't know who to direct you to off hand but you can do an internet search or even see what else around your area has been done and contact the owners.  

Good luck with the project,

Erich Rose

Erich Rose Design
807 The Living End
Austin, TX 78746
512-626-9930; [log in to unmask]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erichrose/




On Aug 23, 2012, at 10:10 AM, tsn wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Hi, I don't usually post since I'm unaffiliated, but I thought some of you
> might have experience I could lean on.
> We have a grant to build an outdoor science playground at an urban primary
> school, including some clear-walled raised veg/flower beds, a greenhouse
> with tool storage, a small pond, a dirt area, an asphalt area, and a sand
> area. All of this space is reclaimed parking lot.
> 
> Extending those plans, I thought the kids could benefit from a climbing
> structure, but I'm not sure what shape/size/materials will work optimally
> for our situation. The school serves about four hundred children, K-5. We
> do get a lot of heat, but can fit something under the (tall) shade trees.
> The original parking lot slopes but not sharply, so we don't have puddle
> problems. What has worked for you? Geodesic hemisphere? Steel or PVC? Flat
> or wavy ladder-style monkey bars? Rope nets? Flat-nylon nets? Bridges?
> Hollow logs and big rocks? How do you preserve hollow logs and anchor big
> rocks? Are there vendors you've been pleased with? Which OSHA/ADA/etc lit
> should I consult to be sure I'm not building something awful?
> 
> I look forward to your advice. Thanks,
> 
> Tracy Nolan
> St. Louis
> 
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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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