Edmonton’s first “natural playground”

[Sonic Death Monkey]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/...700/story.html

EDMONTON - Children won’t find new monkey bars and bright plastic play structures at the upgraded Donnan Park.

Instead, the aging playground at 9105 80th Ave. will become Edmonton’s first “natural playground,” part of a growing trend in playground design.

Children in the redesigned Donnan Park will entertain themselves with such time-honoured playthings as rocks, sticks, sand and dirt. The overhauled space will feature a slide built into a hill, a sideways-growing tree, a boulder spiral, a hand pump to pour water into a small stream and plenty of plants, trees and greenery.

It will be “a beautiful garden that everyone plays in,” says Kory Baker-Henderson, co-chair of the neighbourhood committee that worked on the preliminary playground design with expertise from Ontario-based Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds.

“Around us there are already some typical playground structures, so we wanted to have something different that blends in with the (Mill Creek) ravine,” Baker-Henderson says. “Studies have shown imaginative play is much more stimulated (in natural settings) and children actually will play longer and become much more involved than on a typical red, plastic slide structure. Their games will just get much more imaginative. There’s that connection with nature. We have plans for a community garden so it’s a learning and teaching tool too.”

[Chmilz]

Yikes! One bumped knoggin on a rock and the crazies will be out in force demanding helmets for all.

[Edmcowboy11]

I like this concept. It would be nice to see some other run down parks changed improved in this fashion. Especially in some older communities in this city, something like this could be done and it wouldn't be overly costly.

[Edmcowboy11]

Originally Posted by Chmilz

Yikes! One bumped knoggin on a rock and the crazies will be out in force demanding helmets for all.

No worries, that already happens, so too late for that concern.

[darkmagnoblade]

what parent brings glass of wine to a park is my question

[Gord Lacey]

That was in Europe, not here (probably a high percentage there).

[Arsoys]

Sustitute beer for wine, then. Same diff.

The natural-playground idea is pretty good. (Beats unused monkey bars adult monkeys are scared to let their baby monkeys go on.)

[Komrade]

Neat idea. Ill reserve full judgement till its done

[Chmilz]

Originally Posted by darkmagnoblade

what parent brings glass of wine to a park is my question

I can only dream of the day when we stop being such prudes and are allowed drinking in public. My trip to Germany/Italy was liberating when I discovered you could drink beer on the subway, in a park, at street food vendors, wherever. Not a lot of people did, and those that did seemed to be mindful of others. Was a very real reminder of how controlled we are, and how ridiculously complicated booze laws are here.

[JJMorrocco]

A similar concept was done on the playground in Goldbar park about 20 years ago??? They replaced one of my fondest child hood playgrounds with some lamo wilderness 'path'. I am sure the old park was full of 'hazards' and kids getting hurt. The new one of course has a zero injury rate, becuase not a single kid plays 'in/on' it.

The dual twirlerly slide was the only one i knew of in Edmonton, many great races were won and lost on that slide!

[Darkwalker]

A similar concept was done on the playground in Goldbar park about 20 years ago

That was the first thing that came to mind when I read the article too. We used to beg our father to take us to Goldbar on the weekends.

I have rocks and sticks in my backyard already. I take the the kids to the playground so that they can play.

[Komrade]

Originally Posted by Chmilz

I can only dream of the day when we stop being such prudes and are allowed drinking in public. My trip to Germany/Italy was liberating when I discovered you could drink beer on the subway, in a park, at street food vendors, wherever. Not a lot of people did, and those that did seemed to be mindful of others. Was a very real reminder of how controlled we are, and how ridiculously complicated booze laws are here.

How sweet would that be?

But in North America, we seem to be going the opposite way.

[Arsoys]

About public alcoholism: forget it.

No, it has nothing to do with being prudish.


But to be allowed some freedom, you must first prove you can handle it.

North American yahoos who drink in public invariably make a total bollocks of everything with their loutish, childish heehawing.

Since you can't handle liquor in public, you won't be getting any.

[Arsoys]

Seriously: the public rioting that follows every North American sports VICTORY proves there is no place for public drinking. Rioting and looting following a defeat is deplorable, but in a way understandable. But to loot while happy is just too much. It means North Amricans cannot be expected to handle liquor -- happy liquor -- properly. And wine in a park is just that: happy liquor.

[Medwards]

^ yikes. I'm going to guess that you think Europeans are some how better at this?

[IanO]

On topic please.

[KC]

Anchorage has a nice natural fitness park. ...or at least it did 20 yrs ago.

[jbubble]

I always thought that the river valley, other ravines/valley, other natural areas were natural playgrounds.

[JJMorrocco]

^ those were not designed, engineered and sold so they are worthless and no one would want to play with those 'natural' rocks and sticks pffffffffffftt.


The article speaks of the playground at the ACT centre - this 'new' playground is terrible, my kids hate it as compared to what was there previously.

Also the point in the article that kids get bored with the 'plastic' playgrounds - well I always have to drag my kids away from them after many hours of playing they don't seem to get bored. Rocks and sticks on the other hand...........

[Gord Lacey]

I sounds as though people in that neighbourhood are looking forward to the natural park, and plan to use it. If people from other areas want to, they can use it as well, or stick to the traditional parks with plastic and man-made things. No one is trying to change every park in the city into something like this, so I don't understand what the big issue is.

[IanO]

Originally Posted by KC

Anchorage has a nice natural fitness park. ...or at least it did 20 yrs ago.

So do many cities and try are a refreshing change.

[sundance]

Was just at Gold Bar Park where they have a natural playground ... even my step-daughter said this is boring so we left to go to Rundle. I liked the old wood "fort" that was at Gold Bar, I think planners forgot that risk can be a part of fun. As well ran into a Danish company that makes some VERY cool playground equipment;
http://www.monstrum.dk/